The Object of My Obsession
by ChloeBlack101
Summary: When some of Salem's finest citizens start turning up dead, the investigation settles around Chloe's two suitors. Reuploaded after major overhaul. Warning: DOES NOT follow the current storyline. This story is over 4 years old. Reuploaded for the seque
1. Chapter 1: Going Through the Motions

A/N: I started this before the whole "Chloe's illness" thing came up, and don't plan to work it into this fic. Another note... well, these notes are actually edited notes. I decided after years (and I mean years) to revamp this story, repost it, and continue it with the second installment (which in itself, at the time of this revamping, has been finished in written form for at least two years). So if you're reading this, and have NEVER read this before... let me just say now, THIS STORY IN NO WAY HAS ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE CURRENT DAYS OF OUR LIVES STORYLINE!!! This story was written at least 4 (I'm thinking more like 5) years ago, and even then it didn't follow the normal storyline. Keep that in mind. As most current (and long ago) Days fans know, Brady and Chloe (who are the main focus of this show) got married and haven't even so much as been mentioned in ages. But I suddenly out of the blue decided I really missed this series (and I did promise to continue it...), so I'm starting now.

This story started long ago, honestly as a joke. And then it became ever so much more. With the second installment basically finished... there's no reason why I shouldn't continue. Although frankly, I'm more likely to continue if people actually review this time around. Anyway... as I said, this fic is set WAY in the Day's past. It includes (later on) a character (or rather, a few, but mainly just one) of my own design. Just a few things you need to know before reading. 1) I am a Broe fan to the end. 2) I hate Philip. 3) When I wrote this, Belle was being played by Kirsten Storms and Philip was being played by Jay Kenneth Johnson (and, ironically enough, he is once again!) and Shawn was being played by Jason Cook. So when I write my characters, those people and personas are the way I see them. 4) I swear. Constantly. And without hesitation. I do my best to keep it to a minimum in my writing, but if you don't like swearing... you might want to stay clear of just about ANYTHING I write. 5) This story is VERY violent. Although now a days, you see far worse... after all, I did write this 4-5 years ago. Different times. But still... there's lots of violence, and again, if you don't like that... as much as I'd like you to read and enjoy my story, you're going to want to stop reading now. And finally 6) I no longer have a beta (Liberty! I swear, if you read this and don't e-mail me...). Meaning, I'm likely to be posting things that are full of errors. I'm sorry. I'm doing my best but, I'm only one set of eyes.

I'm going to be honest. I have NO idea exactly what was going on in the main story lines when I wrote this. I'm lucky if I remember things that happened two hours ago. And honestly, I haven't really been watching Days since Kyle and Nadia (Brady and Chloe) left the show. But basically, I think if you've been a life watcher, you'll be able to follow alright. All the teens (well, the old teens... Brady, Chloe, Shawn, Belle, etc) were just that, teens. Still in high school. The newer set of teens (Abby, Chelsea... who doesn't exist in this story, etc) are likely not even mentioned, but if they are... they're little kids, like they were 5ish years ago. At the time of writing, Chloe had not gone through leukemia, and I don't plan to ever include that in this trilogy. She also hadn't gone through the process of finding out Craig is her father... but that DOES NOT happen in my story. You'll see why. I'm not sure exactly where Brady/Chloe/Philip stood, relationship wise. I do know Philip's still trying to woo Chloe back to him after one of their break ups. No one else really matters, honestly. This is mainly a Brady/Chloe/Philip fic. Anything else you need, will be clearly stated as you read... I hope.

That's just about it, I think. Like I said... this story is very old. And it won't make a lot of sense if you didn't watch back then. So in my revamping, I'm going to do my best to make sure everyone (even newer watchers) understands what I'm talking about. I'm pretty sure I wrote this so you wouldn't have to be a close follower of storylines to understand anyway. I hope you enjoy, and look for the next installment (Beyond Obsession) to hit soon! Enjoy!

Chapter 1: Going Through the Motions

Chloe turned off the television, disgusted with the constant news reports. Everywhere she turned, she was faced with a reminder of Salem's newest problem: a possible serial killer. Three people were dead to date, two separate murders.

First had been Jan Spears, and that monstrosity she unfortunately called a mother. Jan had been drowned in her own bathtub. Judging from the location of Mrs. Spears' body, the police believed Jan's mother must have witnessed the crime, and paid the price with her life. Her body had been found, twisted in an awkward position at the bottom of the stairs in the Spears' home. That was little over 2 weeks ago. Everyone at Salem High still gossiped about Jan, even after the second murder. Chloe figured it was because everyone had found out about Jan's unborn child, making the unofficial death toll 4. Since Shawn still had told noone about Jan being raped by Paul Mendez, Nicole Walker's now dead "father" if he could so be called, thousands of different rumors were being spread around the school.

Next had been Jason Masters. According to the never ending news reports, Jason was last seen alive playing basketball in the school gym with Shawn Brady, Hawk Smithson, and Philip Kiriakis. Hawk was the one to later find Jason, sprawled face first on the floor of the boys' locker room in a pool of his own blood. He had apparently been beaten to death with a hand weight from the weight room. That was less then a week ago. The two murders become a regular circus for the Salem media, ever waiting for another juicy story to follow with their talks of 'Who done it?' 'How are these tragic deaths related?' and 'Who will be next on the killer's list?' Since Jan and Jason were both Seniors at Salem High, not to mention they were once an inseparable item, the Salem P.D. was sure the deaths were somehow related.

To Chloe, however, these murders meant only one thing; it meant that Philip wouldn't leave her the hell alone! After Jan's murder, Chloe heard talk from some of the other students around school that Philip was looking for her, supposedly for a "comforting talk after the lose of an old friend" or some such bull. Then, after Jason's brutal murder, Philip called both her line and Craig and Nancy's line as well as her cell phone non-stop, saying he "needed someone to talk to." Chloe did believe he was legitimately grieving. Though she couldn't for the life of her figure out why anyone would hang out with those two, Philip had grown up along side Jan and Jason, and they had meant a great deal to each other, if only for the sake of childhood memories. It wasn't that Chloe didn't want to be there for Philip. She did want to help him through such an awful time in his life. He was having problems with his parents and Nicole after all, and now, on top of that, someone killed off two of his oldest friends. It was just that Chloe didn't think she could handle the pressure. Even if he was grieving, she knew damn well Philip would try to manipulate her into taking him back. The thing that frightened her most was the fact that, if he asked her, though she knew in her heart she'd never be happy with Philip again, she would take him back. She couldn't bring him anymore pain, even after all the things he'd said and done.

Chloe no longer answered her phone. She felt ridiculous, always letting her machine pick up and telling Belle not to bother calling her cell phone. If Philip called the main phone line, Nancy was always happy to answer the phone and tell him off, but he always kept calling back. He hadn't stopped calling in the week since Jason's death, and Chloe doubted he would until she caved in and talked with him. She felt like a coward, hiding behind her family to avoid confrontation with Philip. But she just couldn't face him. She figured she had no other options.

To make things worse, Chloe hadn't spoken to Brady in over 2 weeks; not since she decided to fly solo for awhile. Chloe hated to admit she needed him so much, but she felt even more lost without having heard from her best friend. Her thoughts were interrupted by the dreaded ringing of the phone. Chloe groaned; Nancy and Craig were out for the evening.

"You know you can't hide forever," Chloe murmured aloud to herself, reluctantly reaching over and grabbing the phone on the table beside the couch and bringing it up to her ear on the 4th ring. "Hello?" Chloe asked, sounding both annoyed and hesitantly nervous.

"My, don't we sound cheerful this wonderful afternoon," came the familiar, cocky voice of one Brady Black.

"Brady!" Chloe exclaimed, her mood immediately lifting. The detachment from her best friend had been getting to her, and she had no idea how good it felt just to hear his voice again.

"That's my name. Expecting someone else?" Brady asked jokingly. He didn't, however, wait for any reply. "So, what's the deal, Diva? I've been calling your line all afternoon, and Belle says you turned your cell phone off."

"Oh, I'm sorry Brady. I've been downstairs since Craig and Nancy left. I didn't hear the phone upstairs, and I haven't gone up to check the machine yet," Chloe replied. She actually hadn't checked it since yesterday morning; she hadn't the energy.

"That doesn't answer the real question at hand here, Diva," Brady commented. Of course, he knew what the problem really was. It was almost too easy to squeeze information out of Belle. Chloe sensed her best friend already knew what was wrong, not to mention she knew his sister couldn't keep a secret if her life depended on it.

"Take a wild guess," Chloe replied.

"So, good ole Uncle Phil is bugging you I take it," Brady said dryly, getting right to the point as always. Just like good ole Uncle Phil to take advantage of a tragic situation.

"Ding ding ding ding, that is correct. Tell 'im what he's won Bob!" Chloe replied in her best game show host voice. Brady laughed despite himself.

"Nice to see you haven't lost that wonderful humorous edge of yours, Diva," Brady said.

"Yeah well, you bring out the sarcastic smart ass in me," Chloe stated, a smile crossing her lips. Just hearing Brady's voice seemed to make all her problems melt away.

"Well, don't I feel special. I always assumed you were just born that way," Brady replied.

"Just for that, Black, I'm not inviting you to come over," Chloe teased, feeling almost proud of herself. Brady, as always, countered her move.

"Ah, well then, I guess I'll just have to give Tink the surprise I was going to bring you to cheer you up," Brady stated, knowing Chloe would take the bait.

"Surprise?" Chloe asked, skeptical, but intrigued. Hook, Line, and Sinker. "What kind of surprise?"

"I guess you'll never know, being as how I'm not allowed over. Too bad, I really wanted to do my best to cheer up my _best friend_ in this hectic time of need," Brady said, stressing the "best friend" part. No one would ever know how hard it was for him to use that blasted word!

"How do you always do that? I so hate you, you know that?" Chloe half whined. Ooooh, that Brady Black! He always did that to her. It was impossible for her to say no to him.

"So, does that mean your lifting your unjust decree and letting me come over?" Brady questioned. Chloe could almost feel that sly, arrogant, extremely sexy grin of his.

"Oh, alright. But only because you're sneaky and deceitful!" Chloe replied. "But wait, has that town curfew gone into effect yet?" Since Jason's violent death, there was talk that the Salem P.D. would issue a city-wide curfew. But then again, given the large number of rumors going around, one could never be sure what was true and what wasn't.

"Nah, that was just a rumor. There's no reason to issue a curfew, not yet at least, and I don't think the P.D. will ever get around to it anyway," Brady replied. Neither he nor Chloe really wanted to talk about the recent events that took three lives. Chloe may have hated both Jan and Jason, but she never wanted them dead. Brady noticed Chloe's uneasy pause, and immediately picked up on her fears. "Not to worry, Chloe. There is absolutely nothing to worry about. Besides, you know I'd protect you. I kick major butt, remember?" Chloe smiled slightly, she did indeed remember.

"That you do, Black. That you do," Chloe said. "Anyway, when will you be here?"

"Half an hour. I got something I have to take care of before I get there. C-ya then, Diva," Brady replied.

"C-ya then," Chloe said, hanging up the phone. She smiled to herself, before she noticed what she was wearing. It was Saturday afternoon, and she was still in her pjs! Chloe jumped up, running to her room in over-drive mode. No way in hell was she giving Brady something to tease her relentlessly about...

"Now, just calm down. There's no reason why we can't talk this out, like two rational people," Victor Kiriakis said calmly. Well, as calmly as someone at gunpoint could manage at least. Inside, the flash of metal caused an instant reaction of fear, but on the outside, he would show nothing but the proud Kiriakis stance. "Just put that thing away, it's of no use here."

"You think I won't?" Victor's assailant asked, tilting his head to the side to study the aging man before him.

"I know you won't," Victor challenged.

"Bad assumption, old man," he stated. With that, the younger man squeezed the trigger, sending a warning bullet into a family portrait just to the right of Victor's head. Victor bolted up from his chair, an involuntary reaction the normally bold Victor would never believed he was capable of, and away from the desk. But the steady hand holding the gun remained level with him. Regaining a calm stance, Victor stood next to the fireplace, the central focal point of his personal home office. At that moment, Victor wished to God he hadn't given Henderson the afternoon off, leaving only a cooking maid - who, unknown to Victor, had already "been dealt with." "You see, old man, you wouldn't be the first. And I assure you, you wouldn't be the last."

"You. You killed that girl and her boyfriend?" Victor more stated then asked. The young man before him merely nodded. "But why?"

"What does it really matter. They were insignificant little worms, who didn't deserve to live after the things they'd done. They keep me from getting what I want. You keep me from getting what I want," he sneered.

"And what do you want?" Victor questioned, though he already knew the answer.

"You know damn well what I'm after!" the young man boomed. Victor nodded, studying the now somewhat shaky hand that held the gun.

"Indeed I do. And it's never going to happen, I'll make damn sure of that," Victor stated matter-of-factly, and unfortunately, over-confidently. The amused look on the young man's face faded instantly into one of crazy fury.

"No! Don't say that! You're never going to win this one old man, never!" the younger shouted. Without any real thought, or any hesitance, the ever-more-experienced Salem killer again squeezed the trigger of the borrowed gun. Only this was no warning shot. The bullet blasted the once strong and mighty Victor in the chest. The three remaining shots landed him on the ground in front of the roaring fireplace with two bullets to the chest, one to the abdomen, and one misplaced bullet to the left shoulder. The "Salem Psycho", as people had begun to refer to the obviously disturbed killer as, walked up to the fallen Kiriakis, looking down at him with both disgust and satisfaction. "I always get what I want. Always." With that final note, the young man tossed the gun aside, removing his black gloves and throwing them into the fire. "Well, nice talking to ya Vic, but I got places to go, people to see," he said as if talking to a living, breathing person rather then a bullet-ridden corpse. He turned, walking out the office door, through the large living room, and into the kitchen, where the previously disposed body of maid still lay lifeless on the floor. He stepped over her body, pausing at the kitchen table. "Oooooh, peanut butter!" he squealed with childlike glee, picking up the half-eaten peanut butter and grape jam sandwich. "My favorite!" he muttered, taking a big bite and continuing out the back door with his newly found prized snack. Indeed, he had other important places to be...

"So, how many does this make now?" asked Roman as the second body bag holding the maid's body was zipped up and carted after that of Victor's. It was growing close to midnight now, but even at such a late hour, the media had already gotten hold of the story of the great Kiriakis' demise and found it's way to the third crime scene. Henderson, who had located the bodies nearly an hour ago, was just making his way through the throng of reporters to be escorted to the station for questioning.

"Five, in the last seventeen days," Bo answered grimly. The first two incidents made sense, both targeted victims being Seniors at Salem High. But now, with Victor and an unsuspecting servant dead, the Salem P.D. had even less to go on.

"Cause of death?" asked one of the coroners milling around the body bags about to be put into an awaiting ambulance.

"Looks as if the first blow to the chest cavity, but we'll have to get him in for an autopsy," answered another.

"And the girl?"

"Smothered," was the simple answer. With that, they lifted up the stretcher. Reporters were trying like crazy to get close enough to get good footage of Victor Kiriakis' body being lifted into the ambulance.

"Would you get those people the hell out of here?!" Ordered a severely pissed Roman. Damn all reporters to hell anyway... Roman turned towards a waiting officer who was taking the evidence to an analyst as the other officers started ushering reports off the scene. "Who's it registered to?"

"It's Victor's," answered the young, slightly pudgy new recruit. Roman nodded, waving him off.

"Looks like we have even less to go on then before. Think the deaths are connected?" Roman asked his brother as they made their way through the reporters who were slowly but surely being ushered away.

"I've no doubt, I just don't know what the connection is," Bo answered, obviously in deep though. He never had accepted Victor as his biological father. And he never would. But his death still hit harder then expected. Finding dead bodies never got easier. One just learned to shut down and go through the motions. "I don't think there's any more we can do here. But maybe we have more suspects now to go on."

"Not really. I can imagine Victor has a lot of enemy's," Roman pointed out, reaching his car. They'd leave the clue searching to the lower ranking officers. Bo was half right, there were now a few main suspects. "I think it's time you and I paid Mrs. Roberts a visit."

"You think she could have done this?" Bo asked, getting in next to Roman in the car.

"I honestly don't, but she's a suspect none the less. And that boy of hers, Philip." Roman nearly spat out the name. Never cared for that stuck up little twit. Not to mention, though he would swear his personal dislike of him had nothing to do with it, John Black also came to Roman's mind when he thought of suspects. And that arrogant trouble-making son of his, Brady. Not that Roman's personal dislike of him had anything to do with that assumption either mind you. But Basic Black and Titan were already fierce competitors, and damn it all, it felt good to picture the Black men behind bars! As Roman started the engine, both he and his brother resigned themselves to a hell of a long night of going through the motions...


	2. Chapter 2: Getting Too Old?

Chapter 2: Getting Too Old?

Chloe looked herself over in the mirror approvingly. She'd ditched the embarrassing teddy bear pajama's for a 3/4 sleeved purple sweater and fitted blue jeans. Her long hair was left down, after several failed attempts to put it up in a ponytail holder. She looked over at the clock: 8:15, he was 15 minutes late. She sighed heavily, heading down the stairs to reclaim her former spot on the couch.

"You'd better show, Black," Chloe muttered aloud to herself. As if on cue, she heard the familiar sound of Brady's unmistakable Jeep pulling up in front of her house. She grinned, jumping up and throwing the door open before Brady even reached the porch.

"Anxious to see me, Diva?" Brady inquired through the remains of his quick snack.

"Why would I be anxious to see you? I'm anxious to see this big surprise you said you had for me. Please don't tell me its just the honor of sharing your lunch... peanut butter?" Chloe questioned.

"Yep, want some? Grape jelly," Brady offered with a childlike grin. Chloe wrinkled her nose, holding the door open for him.

"No thank you. Now where's my surprise, because if you think I'm gonna let you trick me..."

"Now now, Chloe. Patience is a virtue. It's waiting for you in the jeep, I'm just waiting to see if you deserve it," Brady said, making himself at home by stretching out on the couch. Chloe rolled her eyes, basically slamming the door. Ugh, that Brady Black, sometimes she didn't know how she put up with his arrogant ego.

"And what, pray tell, do I have to do to be deserving?" Chloe asked.

"Hrm... well, foodage would be a great start," Brady answered, looking back at her with a bright smile.

"So, I'm expected to feed you now? What do I look like, your mother?" Chloe immediately cursed herself, knowing better to use a mother reference even in joking.

"Actually, there are some similarities," Brady replied, his former bright smile not so bright now. He shook it off, standing up again. "So, you gonna feed me, or do I have to start eating the furniture. Those PB&Js were all I've eaten all day."

"Alright fine, but only to keep my furniture intact. Come on, I'll make us BLTs." Chloe said, taking his hand unconsciously out of habit and leading him into the kitchen.

"Great, I'm starving!"

"You're always starving," Chloe replied. Brady just chuckled, seating himself at the kitchen table as Chloe began fixing the BLTs. Awhile later, they both sat in front of the television, though it was turned off, with their BLTs, Brady with a Mountain Dew and Chloe with a bottle of water. "So, am I deserving now?" Chloe asked, after taking the first initial bit of her BLT. Brady shook his head, setting down his paper plate after one bite.

"Not quite. First, we're going to talk. About you and Philip." Chloe tensed, suddenly no longer hungry.

"I'd rather not," Chloe said firmly, setting her plate down as well.

"Chloe, you know you can't avoid..." Brady started, but was cut short by the opening of the front door. It was Craig and an overly chatty Nancy.

"Craig did you see that awful dress... oh, Chloe, Brady, haven't seen you around lately," Nancy said, spotting the two on the couch.

"Evening Mrs. Wesley, Dr. Wesley," Brady greeted as brightly as possible, although he was very frustrated at the distraction. Craig, ever the rational one, immediately picked up on the tension in the room.

"Well, it was nice seeing you again Brady. Nancy and I will just leave you two alone to your conversation," Craig said.

"But Craig..." Nancy whined. Craig shot her a warning glance, ushering her out with him to head upstairs.

"Good night you two," Craig called before he and Nancy disappeared up the stairs.

"Night Craig," Chloe murmured. This was one time she wasn't thankful for Craig's rational, understanding nature.

"Alright, now that that's done with, spill it Diva. What's going on with you and Philip that is so bad that you had to shut yourself off completely from the world?" Brady inquired. Chloe flushed with anger. Didn't she just say she didn't want to talk about it?!

"What business is it of yours? What do you care?" Chloe hissed. Brady sighed, thinking he should have known better then to believe this could be easy.

"I care, because I'm your friend and I don't want to see you hurt. And that's preciously what Philip will do Chloe. Hurt you, just like he's done a million times before," Brady said calmly.

"What right do you have to make judgment on him anyway, Brady?" Chloe asked. She sighed, looking down. She didn't want to fight with Brady. Then again she didn't want to have to deal with Philip and his insecurities either. But that was something that seemed unavoidable. "Look Brady, I appreciate that you care and all, but it's not your job to protect me. I can take care of myself, make my own decisions."  
"Yes Chloe, you can, but letting Philip into your life is the wrong one," Brady stated.

"What makes you think he's even trying to get back into my life? Did it ever occur to you that he might just need a friend he can count on right now?"

"The thought did occur to me, yes, but obviously, given that you have barely left this house in weeks and you don't answer you phone anymore, I would say you're the one who doesn't think all Philip wants is friendship. So, don't try and tell me all Philip wants from you is a "friend he can count on" because you and I both know damn well he'll do anything to get you back into his web of lies and possessiveness. Tell me, Chloe, has he come to you saying he needed someone to talk to, to help him grieve for his "dear" friends Jan and Jason? Has he Chloe? And tell me Chloe, if he were to ask you to be his girlfriend again, would you say yes?" Brady inquired. Chloe looked down at the table, almost ashamed. "Please Chloe, answer me. Would you take him back?"

"I... I don't know." Chloe whispered hesitantly. She knew he wouldn't buy that, but it was the honest truth. She didn't know what to do about Philip, that's why she'd shut herself off from everyone like she did. To avoid making any decision, least of all one she'd live to regret.

"You don't know? So, in other words, you would take him back, you're just to ashamed to admit it," Brady spat. Chloe's head shot up, tears threatening to spill over her cheeks. But she refused to let him see her cry. Would he even care?

"He... he needs me," Chloe said weakly. Brady nearly busted out laughing, though he felt a twinge of guilt, having seen the tears Chloe forced back.

"He needs you, aye? Well, I guess that's true. Uncle Phil does need someone to drag down with him to feel better about his miserable self," Brady commented dryly. "What about you Chloe? What about what you need?"

"You don't know what the hell I need," Chloe spat.

"Oh, but I do, Diva. You're the one left out in the dark. I know exactly what you need, and it sure as hell isn't Philip."

"I'll... I'll tell you what I don't need. I don't need you telling me what to do with my life!"

"I'm not telling you how to live your life. It wouldn't do any good. I know you wouldn't listen. I just don't want to see you throw your life away on Philip."

"Just... just get out. I don't want to talk anymore," Chloe said, the tears once again threatening to flow down her cheeks. She stood, but Brady stopped her, taking hold of her arm.

"No Chloe, you're not going anywhere. We are going to talk. Not later, not some day… now. We don't have to talk about Philip. We can talk about anything that's on your mind right now, but whatever the topic, you're not going to turn away from me now. You've shut yourself off from the rest of the world, Chloe. That ends here, tonight. Come back, sit beside me, and lets just talk, about anything you want," Brady pleaded. Chloe hesitated, still angry and upset, but nodded, allowing him to lead her back to the couch. "So, if you don't want to talk about Philip, what do you want to talk about Diva?"

"Let's talk about... the mystery that is Brady Black. Every time I try to get to know you, the real you, you shut down and blow me off. Well, if you want me to open up, Black, you're going to have to give me the same courtesy and open up to me a little," Chloe stated. Brady looked away, unable to make eye contact. Well, it was fair, but Chloe wasn't ready to know everything there was to know about the mystery that was Brady Victor Black.

"I'm not making any promises, but I'll give you as honest an answer as I think you're ready for. So, what do you want to know?" Brady asked, regaining his composure and turning to face Chloe again.

"Well..." Chloe and Brady spent the next several hours, losing all track of time despite a few interruptions from Nancy, talking, smiling at fond memories, but never really leaving the heated fighting behind. Their relationship began with heated arguments, and they so often ended up right back where they started, with shouting and yelling...

Roman slumped down in his desk chair, wishing to whoever may be listening this night would end already. He'd already spoken to Kate, who seemed less then upset at the news of Victor's demise, and now had to speak with Philip. Philip didn't seem very upset either, more like irritated, although he'd seemingly been surprised. Philip had been found with his mother. Apparently he was staying with her because he didn't want to go home due to a previous argument with his father. Henderson had been the one to accidentally leak out that information, much to Kate and Philip's displeasure. Kate was released, with orders not to leave town, while Philip sat in waiting in Roman's office, guarded by an extremely tired Bo.

"So, Philip, where were you around 7:30 tonight?" Roman asked. _I'm getting too old for this bull.._. Roman thought to himself solemnly.

"You already know where I was," Philip snapped. "I was staying with my mother."

"And she is the only one who can testify your whereabouts?"

"Her word not good enough?"

"In a murder case, Philip, your mother's word won't mean a whole hell of a lot to a jury," Roman replied dryly. "Let's get right down to the point here. You and your father had an argument, correct? Tell me Philip, what was this argument about?"

"I don't see how its any of your damn business," Philip replied, crossing his arms definitely over his chest.

"If I were you, Phil, I'd cooperate and answer the question," Bo piped in from his place leaning against the wall next to the door. He'd been left to watch Philip while Roman questioned Kate, and he was in serious need of going home and getting some sleep. "If you've got nothing to hide, you've nothing to worry about." Philip eyed Shawn's dad, who had chosen now to speak.

"Fine, whatever..." Philip murmured. "We argued about a bunch of stuff; Nicole, my mother, the kids at school, my grades..."

"And Chloe Lane?" Bo questioned. He knew enough from Shawn to know Chloe was the center of Philip's world, and Victor made no secret of his dislike for the situation. Philip turned back towards Roman, growing more irritated by the moment.

"Not that it matters, but yes, we talked about Chloe too. So? What's the point of all this?" Philip demanded. Roman was growing sick of Philip's attitude.

"Leave the questions to us Philip. Just cut the bull, and answer the damn questions," Roman warned. "Now... so, you argued. And from what Henderson has told me, you got extremely angry. Violent even?"

"Are you trying to accuse me of killing my own father, over some stupid fight?" Philip demanded.

"What I'm trying to do is get the truth, the facts. Henderson knew where that gun was, and I don't doubt for a moment you knew too. Now answer my question. Do you have a tendency to get violent when angry?"

"I wouldn't hurt my father," Philip replied coolly. Roman sighed, shaking his head.

"That doesn't answer my question, but fine, lets move on. What time did you leave the house?" Roman asked.

"I don't know. Just after lunch I guess. 1:30 maybe."

"And you didn't go back to the house for any reason after you left? Where exactly did you go?"

"I went to for awhile. Hawk was there so we played video games to get my mind off things. Then I went straight to my mother's apartment. She wasn't home from Basic Black yet, so I had to wait awhile."

"And when did she arrive?"

"What do I fucking look like, a human clock?" Philip snapped.

"Philip..." Bo started.

"Oh alright already! I guess it was around 3:00, 3:30." Philip huffed.

"Ok, so, what did you and your mother talk about?" Roman asked.

"That's none of your..."

"Damn it Philip, answer the question or none of us will be going home tonight," Bo interrupted.

"Look, I'm not the one you should be hassling!" Philip yelled.

"What do you mean Philip?" Roman questioned.

"What I mean is, I'm not the only one that had a big fight with my father today," Philip said confidently. "Brady's the one you should be questioning."

"Brady Black?" Roman asked skeptically, leaning back in his chair.

"That's right, Brady. My father went to Basic Black today to talk to Mr. Black, and ran into Brady instead. Dad said Brady got him so upset, he left without ever speaking to John," Philip said smugly.

"Did he say why Brady would be angry?"

"Nope, I never asked. All I know is that Dad went to speak to Mr. Black, and Brady came out of no where with all these accusations," Philip answered. "I guess you'll have to ask Brady for details, not that my so called nephew will tell you the truth."

"And I'm sure your such a saint..." Roman muttered under his breath. "Alright Philip, you're free to go. For now. But you know the drill, no skipping town," Roman instructed. Philip stood, not being able to hide a slight arrogant smile. Not to say he wasn't upset, but hell, it's not like Victor hadn't "died" before.

"Nice talking to ya, Officer Brady. Catch ya around sometime," Philip said, walking towards the door. "Give my regards to my dear nephew will you?" Philip asked, disappearing out the door without waiting for further comment.

"I hate that little prick," Roman muttered, pushing aside his notebook and reaching for the phone.

"Does seem a little less then upset, doesn't he?"

"I'm not surprised," Roman replied, picking up the phone.  
"You calling John?" Bo questioned, suppressing a yawn. What a night.

"Yeah. You can go home now, I'll round up Brady and question him myself," Roman replied, dialing the familiar number of the Black residence.

"You sure?"

"Positive. Now get your insomniatic ass home to your wife and sons before I change my mind," Roman said. Bo attempted to smile, but failed quite miserably.

"Night Bro," Bo said before he too disappeared out the door of Roman's office. Roman shook his head, hearing the first ring. The phone was picked up on the second.

"Brady?" It was John.

"That's who I was just about to ask for," Roman said solemnly. "So, I take it that means he isn't there?"

"Roman? No, no he hasn't come home yet. He comes and goes as he pleases."

"You know where he was headed?"

"He left for Chloe's, but that was hours ago. Why? What do you want with my son Roman?" John inquired. Roman always had it in for Brady, even if he claimed he wanted to make things right.

"Victor Kiriakis is dead," Roman replied simply.

"What?" John asked, obviously stunned.

"You heard me. He's dead. Shot in the chest. I believe your son might have some info for me."

"Brady would never..."

"Yeah yeah, I know. Just doing my job, John. Now, can you tell me where he might be?"

"Your guess is as good as mine Roman. Try Chloe, maybe she'll know. But I'm warning you right here, if you do anything to hurt my boy again..."

"Point taken John. I don't want any trouble, I just want to talk to him. If you hear from him before I do, send him my way," Roman said, hanging up the phone before John could get in another word. Roman stood, grabbing his coat and heading for the door. Definitely getting too old for this bull...


	3. Chapter 3: Late Night Interrogations

Chapter 3: Late Night Interrogations

Brady groaned, the loud banging noise at the front door waking him from his strangely peaceful sleep. He looked around, letting his eyes adjust to the darkness.

"What the hell..." That's when he brushed up against Chloe, who was sleeping beside him on the Wesley couch. Judging by the blanket that now covered them both, they'd fallen asleep somewhere along the line and neither Nancy or Craig had the heart to wake them. Brady gently pulled his arm out from under a still slumbering Chloe, wondering briefly how she could remain asleep with that racket at the front door. He grumbled the whole way to the door, not noticing Nancy and Craig descending the stairs. "What?!" Brady demanded, flinging open the door. "Oh, great, it's you."

"Lovely to see you too, Brady." Roman replied solemnly.

"What do you want Roman? If you haven't noticed, its, what 2 in the morning?"

"Which leaves me to wonder what you're doing here," Roman commented. "But that's not why I came here. I need you to come in for questioning."

"What's the meaning of this Officer Brady?" Craig demanded, coming up behind Brady with his worried and confused wife.

"It's none of your concern Dr. Wesley. I just need Brady here to come down to the station with me," Roman replied.

"Well, I sure as hell am not going anywhere at this ungodly hour until you tell me why," Brady snapped. Roman sighed heavily.

"Victor Kiriakis is dead," Roman answered with little emotion. It was too damned late, or too damned early depending on how you looked at it, for emotion.

"Brady?" A sleepy Chloe asked quietly, pushing passed her shocked parents to stand beside Brady.

"Grandpa Vic is dead?" Brady breathed, obviously in shock. Roman nodded.

"Yes. Shot and killed late this evening," Roman replied. Brady nodded, his face a complete blank.

"Alright, I'll go," Brady said softly.

"Wait. I'm coming with you," Chloe said, now fully awake and alert.

"Chloe honey..." Nancy started.

"Actually Mrs. Wesley, it would be best if Chloe came along. I may have a few questions for her as well, if that's alright with you," Roman said. Nancy was about to protest, but Craig stopped her, grasping her shoulder reassuringly.

"Yes, of course Roman. We'll drive them to the station," Craig offered.

"No. My Jeep is outside, I'll drive and then take Chloe home, you two should stay here," Brady said.

"Brady, dear, I really think we should..." Nancy protested.

"Please, Mrs. Wesley? I'll get Chloe back home safe, there's no need for the two of you to worry. I promise, I would never let anything happen to Chloe," Brady said sincerely.

"He has a point dear. Come now, lets let them go with Roman. The sooner they go, the sooner they'll be back." Craig agreed.

"Alright you two, lets go. I'll follow you to the station," Roman instructed. Chloe grabbed her jacket, gave her mother and Craig a quick hug goodbye and followed Brady out to his Jeep. Roman said a quick goodbye to the Wesley's before retreating out to his own car. Nancy and Craig watched both vehicles pull out of sight before going back inside. Brady remained silent as they pulled away, concentrating intently on the road.

"What's this?" Chloe asked quietly, attempting to get Brady's mind off the current situation.

"Your surprise," Brady answered solemnly as Chloe pulled out the little clear plastic container. Inside, was a little white teddy bear, clothed in a black shirt with the word 'Diva' monogrammed in colorful glitter. A single brandy rose lay on top of it. "I don't think they do purple roses. The only other one I liked was blue, but blue always seems to convey a depressing message, so I went with that one. The bear was cuter too," Brady said, lacking much emotion. He doubted it would really mean anything right now anyway. Chloe just nodded, not sure what to say. It had to be one of the most special gifts anyone had ever given her, but somehow, she didn't feel she had the right to be happy right now.

"Thank you Brady, it's... it's beautiful. I love it," Chloe said. After replacing the bear to it's spot in the backseat, the rest of the ride was spent in silence until they reached the Salem P.D.

"This way," Roman instructed, leading them to his office. The station was a buzz with activity despite the late hour. "Have a seat," Roman said, indicating the two chairs in front of his desk. Chloe and Brady complied, each taking a seat. Roman tossed his keys on the desk, slumping down in his own chair. "Alright, lets make this as short as possible. Where were you tonight Brady?"

"Chloe's house, obviously," Brady replied, lacking his usual fire.

"All afternoon?"

"No. I got to her house sometime after 8:00. 8:20 maybe."

"That right Chloe?" Chloe nodded. "Alright, where were you before you arrived at Chloe's? Specifically around 7:30 this evening."

"I didn't kill my grandfather Roman," Brady replied dryly, thinking he should have known that Roman would accuse him of such a thing. After all, Roman made no secret that he believed Brady to be guilty of trying to hurt his sister, why not his grandfather?

"I'm not insinuating you did, I just want to know where you were."

"Why? I mean, if you aren't suggesting I had anything to do with it, why does it matter where I was?" Brady questioned, frustrated. Chloe placed a calming hand on his knee.

"Why won't you just answer my questions? Got something to hide Black?" Roman asked. Brady sighed, adverting his gaze to the floor.

"I was in a flower shop," Brady muttered almost incoherently.

"Speak up."

"I was in a flower shop!" Brady practically yelled. "The florist across the street was closed, so I had to find another one. There, happy? The tough guy rebel is really nothing but a hopeless romantic," Brady muttered sarcastically.

"What's the name of the florist? Can someone vouch for your whereabouts?" Roman asked, making a few notes.

"I don't remember. It's the new one across town, next to that Tony's pizza place," Brady answered. Roman nodded, satisfied for now. Judging by the slight blush on Chloe Lane's face, he needn't ask anymore questions about the nature of the florist visit.

"Okay, so, when was the last time you saw your grandfather?"

"This morning. Dad needed me to come in to work to interview applicants for seamstress positions. Grandfather came to Basic Black to discuss something with Dad."

"I see. So, he came looking for John, and ran into you instead? Did the two of you have an argument?"

"A disagreement. I told him he had no business coming to Basic Black after her blew up at my father for visiting him at Titan," Brady replied wearily.

"Anything else of any significance?"

"We argued about what an abusive, compulsive schizophrenic his son is," Brady replied smugly.

"Uh huh. So, you argued, and Victor left right after, correct?" Brady nodded. "And what time would you say this was?"

"Around noon I guess."

"And what time did you leave Basic Black?"

"Around 3:00. I had a run in with Kate. She wanted to know what I said to Victor."

"She mentioned that..." Roman muttered to himself. "Where did you go after you left work?"

"Home. I still had a lot of paperwork and I had to get reports ready for Dad."

"Such a hard working man..." Roman murmured. Brady refused to respond, knowing he'd just lose his temper. "You just went home? No stopping for lunch or anything? Didn't leave the house until you went to the florists?"

"That's right. I didn't leave until around 7:30ish, after I called Chloe," Brady answered, growing tired of all these explanations. Roman nodded, making a few more notes.

"Alright, last question. Did you know that Victor kept a gun in his home office?" Roman asked. Brady grew tense, but nodded.

"Yeah, he mentioned it. Of course, anyone living in that house would more then likely know it was there."

"You mean Philip, Kate, and Henderson?" Roman questioned. Brady nodded.

"I would imagine if I knew, they would have to know too," Brady replied.

"Alright. That's enough for now. We'll probably need a statement from you and your parents in the morning Chloe. For now, you two are free to go. You know the drill, no leaving town," Roman said.

"Are you getting statements from Philip and his dear mother?" Brady questioned.

"That's not for me to discuss with you Brady. Why, do you think I should?"

"I think Philip's mental stability is without a doubt questionable, and Kate has tried before you know, so what do you think? But that's just my humble opinion."

"And you, Chloe? What's your opinion?"

"I... I don't think Philip or Mrs. Roberts could have done such a thing," Chloe replied softly. Roman nodded.

"Alright. I'll be seeing you both in the morning," Roman said, waving them out. Brady took Chloe by the hand and led her silently out the door and back to his jeep. Roman shook his head, resting his elbows on the desk and massaging his pounding temples. Where was the extra strength Tylenol and scotch when ya needed it...

Brady quietly shut the door to the Penthouse, trying not to wake anyone. He just dropped off Chloe, and was now finally home, where he could take a hot shower, crawl into bed, and sleep till noon.

"Son," John surprised Brady, who was just about to make his way up the stairs. John had been in the kitchen getting more coffee, having been too worried to go back to sleep after Roman's call.

"Hey dad," Brady muttered tiredly.

"I take it Roman got a hold of you?"

"Yeah. I feel asleep at Chloe's. He found me there."

"Son, I..."

"Dad, can this wait? Right now, all I wanna do is take a long shower and go to bed." Brady said. John nodded, understanding.

"Alright Brady, we'll talk in the morning. You go, get some rest." John said. Brady continued up the rest of the stairs and disappeared into the darkness of his room...


	4. Chapter 4: Fury

Chapter 4: Fury

(3 days later)

Chloe sighed heavily, wishing only to pry her hand loose from Philip's grasp as they walked down the school hallway together. This was his first day back since his father was killed, and he just wouldn't stop talking. Talking about missed games, major make up work, anything but his father, Jan, or Jason. Chloe figured it was his way of coping, so she tried to look as interested as possible while Philip

"So, Chloe do you plan to go to the dance Friday?" Philip asked suddenly. The dance, some meaningless little thing the AV Club and FCCLA had been planning for weeks, just for the sake of throwing a dance, had originally been scheduled for last weekend, but was pushed back. Everyone thought it should be cancelled, but the school board kept it going after the Brady brothers promised extra security watch.

"I don't know Philip, it just doesn't seem right to even be having this dance," Chloe answered.

"Yeah, I know what you mean, but there's no reason why we should let all this stop us from living our lives as normal," Philip stated.

"Philip, why... why are you so calm about all this?" Chloe asked hesitantly. After the coronation incident, Philip had been visibly torn to pieces when he believed his father to be dead. This time was, as far as everyone knew, for real and he seemed so calm, going on as if nothing was a miss.

"I... well, I've been through this before, remember? I totally lost it then, and I won't let that happen again," Philip replied. Chloe nodded understanding, actually rather proud of Philip's progress over the past few months. She began to feel bad for abandoning him, hell all her friends, over the past few weeks just to avoid confrontation with him.

"Let's not talk about this then. You're right. I'm really proud of you Philip. You're handling this so much better then I would," Chloe commented. Philip beamed from the compliment, flashing his dimples.

"Thank you Chloe. You know, I'm really glad to see you. Being with you definitely does help," Philip remarked. Chloe smiled, taking her hand away to reach for her locker. "So, um, anyway, do you think you'll go to the dance?" Chloe's smile faltered slightly, as she began to wonder if perhaps he hadn't changed all that much since the coronation.

"I don't know Philip, maybe. We'll see. Oh, I gotta run now, I promised Belle I'd help her with her Lit homework," Chloe said, quickly grabbing her Lit book and closing her locker. She turned to make a quick retreat.

"Okay, we'll I'll call you later," Philip called to her as she walked away.

"You so don't get it do you?" Mimi's voice caught Philip by surprise. He turned to glare at her.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Philip demanded. Mimi rolled her eyes, pulling her little backpack out of her locker so she could change in preparation for the hell Ghoul Girl had bestowed on her.

"Not the sharpest tack in the drawer, are we Phil?" Mimi muttered. "Chloe, that's what I'm talking about. She and you are so over. Probably the only reason she's being nice to you is because of what happened to your father. Once she finds out you're just using the situation to get her back, she will drop you like a sack of flour," Mimi spat.

"You're just angry because you're stuck cleaning the bathrooms all by yourself now, not to mention the only guy you can get to date you is the school nerd," Philip scoffed.

"Hey!" It was Kevin, coming up to ask Mimi something about the dance.

"No offense, man."

"None taken... rich boy," Kevin muttered. Mimi smiled slightly despite still being pissed off at Philip's outburst.

"Seriously Philip, you have got to stop stalking Chloe," Mimi stated.

"Yeah, don't mean to be rude, but the whole lost puppy thing, is pretty pathetic. And coming from me, that's just sad," Kevin piped in. Philip's jaw clenched tightly and he glared daggers at the both of them with his cold blue eyes.

"Where do you get off calling _me_ pathetic?! Have you looked in a mirror lately? You two are the reason I'm not with Chloe right now!"

"News flash, Phil. I'm not the one to blame for your actions. I know what I did to her was wrong, and I'm sorry, but you're the one that lost Chloe," Mimi replied.

"Come on Meems, no use talking to him. He's heard it all before," Kevin stated.

"Yeah, Meems, best run along and get to cleaning those toilets," Philip sneered. Mimi glared at him as Kevin took her arm to lead her away. Philip watched them walk down the hall.

"Oh, Mimi, I need you to give me a ride to the dance, and a lift home," Kevin asked.

"Kev, you know I can't go to school activities," Mimi whined.

"I know, but I'm re-vamping my car's engine, and I have to help the committee with the dance, so I need a ride. Please Meems? I've got something special planned, just for us afterwards," Kevin promised. Mimi brightened, an impish grin on her face.

"Oh, alright. I don't have to sit for Connor, so I'm free. As long as you promise you'll protect me from 'the Salem Psycho,'" Mimi joked. Kevin grinned, wrapping his arm around her waist.

"No worries, M'lady. You are safe with the school nerd. I'm sure to over-power him with my extensive brain-power," Kevin joked. Philip glared at them as they disappeared around the corner, laughing about something nerd boy said. How Belle could stand that bitch and her boyfriend, Philip would never know...

Chloe smiled brightly when she spotted Brady's black jeep. Belle had somehow scammed him into giving her and Chloe a ride home. Chloe hadn't seen him since Victor was murdered. According to Belle, Brady hadn't gone back to work either, though she didn't know why. Belle didn't notice Chloe's approach, but Brady, for the first time since Saturday, flashed a true smile when he caught sight of her.

"Hey Diva," Brady greeted, though without his usual spark. Upon getting closer, it was evident to Chloe that Brady hadn't slept much, if at all, in days.

"Hey Black," Chloe greeted, generally happy to see him, even though he looked so miserable.

"Yo, Tink, come on, or Chloe and I will leave you behind," Brady called to his sister.

"She's the one that took so long," Belle complained, but complied, retreating to the back of Brady's jeep. Belle immediately started rambling as soon as they pulled away, not noticing the little plastic box which she accidentally kicked underneath Chloe's seat. The mood around town had been so strained, but Belle always seemed to keep her cheerful mood.

"So, Chloe, are you going to the dance Friday?" Belle asked curiously.

"I don't know, Belle. It's not like this dance is really important. No one will show," Chloe replied.

"Brady'll be there," Belle stated knowingly. Chloe turned to give him a questioning look.

"Nicole and my grandfather were going to be chaperons. Nicole didn't want to go alone, but she didn't want to break her promise, so I offered to go along," Brady said, never taking his eyes off the road. Chloe nodded.

"So, you gonna go?" Belle repeated.

"Philip asked me to," Chloe answered mildly. Brady involuntarily gripped the wheel tighter, and Belle suddenly wished she hadn't brought up the dance.

"Did you say yes?" Brady questioned.

"I told him I'd think about it," Chloe answered.

"Do you plan to say yes?"

"I don't know, maybe. It's not like it's a big deal."

"Not a big deal? Chloe, of course it's a big deal! Philip is just trying to take advantage of you, again."

"His father just died!"

"Yes Chloe, his father died. His father, my grandfather. I don't know about him, Chloe, but if my father had been killed, I sure as hell wouldn't be going to any stupid dance. Hell, I'm probably having a harder time dealing with this then he is, and he's Philip's father!"

"Guys..." Belle started, trying to stop the inevitable fight, but her efforts would go in vain.

"Brady, just stop it, okay. People grieve in different ways. At least he isn't in a violent rage like he was the last time!"

"That doesn't make it alright that he's using your sympathy to get what he wants," Brady snapped. "But fine, we'll drop this conversation. Like I said the other night, I won't bother giving advice if you're too stubborn to listen to it." Chloe folded her arms, glaring out the window. The rest of the ride to the Black Penthouse was spent in a state of uncomfortable silence...


	5. Chapter 5: Passionate Disagreements

Chapter 5: Passionate Disagreements

Chloe smoothed out the wrinkles of her pale pink dress, adjusting the spaghetti straps as she admired herself in the full length mirror. The dress was plain, low-cut and form fitting, cutting off mid-thigh and conforming to every curve. It was Friday night, and Philip would be there to pick her up any minute. Chloe immediately agreed to go with him when he called Tuesday afternoon, mostly out of anger towards Brady. Chloe sighed, grabbing a pair of hoop earrings off her vanity.

"I am not letting you get me down, Black," Chloe muttered, although it was pretty much too late. Things had cooled down around town, although the Media was still a buzz over Victor's murder, but everyone was still extremely on edge. Brady still appeared the most upset, not only because of his grandfather's death, but the endless accusations, not to mention finding out Chloe did in fact agree to go to the dance with Philip. Jan, Jason and Victor's murders were no closer to being solved then day one. Chloe's thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a car pulling up and honking for her to come down: Philip wasn't dumb enough to enter the house with Mama Wesley around. Chloe grabbed her purse and descended the stairs.

"Chloe sweetie, won't you reconsider going out tonight? Surely you'd be better off staying home, especially with things the way they are. Maybe you could even ask Brady to come over," Nancy suggested, pleading for her daughter not to leave. She wasn't particularly fond of either Brady or Philip right now, but at least with Brady she didn't have to fear for her daughter's safety!

"Nancy, Brady wouldn't come over, even if he wasn't chaperoning tonight"

"So he'll be at the dance too?" Nancy asked hopefully.

"Yes, Nancy, he'll be there. Now if you'll excuse me..."

"Chloe, you shouldn't be anywhere near that Kiriakis boy, let alone going out on a date with him!" Nancy exclaimed.

"Nancy, this is not open for discussion," Chloe said dryly, hearing the impatient honking once again. As she reached for the doorknob, Nancy's next words caused her to pause briefly.

"Do you honestly think you would be with Philip now if it weren't for Victor?" Nancy pressed. Chloe paused, but shook it off, opening the door without answering.

"Good night Nancy," Chloe murmured, disappearing out the door. Philip was waiting by her side of the car.

"Wow, you look amazing Chloe," Philip breathed, grinning widely and flashing those deep dimples of his. Chloe forced herself to smile.

"Thank you Philip," Chloe said softly, allowing him to open her door and help her into the car.

"We're going to have a great time tonight Chloe," Philip promised as he got into the drivers side. Staring out the window as they pulled away, Chloe didn't really think so...

Brady pulled on his white dress shirt, about _this_ close to punching a hole in the wall. Belle and Mimi's giggles and rants could be heard through the whole penthouse. Mimi, who wasn't allowed to attend the dance, had come over right after school to help Belle finish their English assignment and get ready for the dance. And the two had been driving everyone in the house crazy since.

"Hey bro, can you and Nicole drop Mimi off at home? She needs to get her parents' car so she can pick up Kevin," Belle inquired, sticking her head in the open door to his room. Brady groaned, knowing he would have to leave early to drop off Mimi, but he couldn't deny his sister.

"Belle, I've got better things to do then drive your friends around."

"Please Brady? She'll be late if she walks!" Belle whined.

"Well then she should have thought of that before now shouldn't she?"

"Brady!" Belle pleaded. Brady sighed, not up to putting up a fight. Even if Mimi was one of Belle's best friends, Brady had a hard enough time trying to tolerate the girl at times these days. But he knew he just couldn't win.

"Fine, whatever Belle. I'll drop her off before I pick up Nicole," Brady muttered. Belle squealed, throwing her arms around him.

"Oh, thank you Brady!"

"Like I could say no," Brady murmured grabbing his keys as Belle dashed out the door to inform Mimi. "I'm ready to go, Meems. Hurry up or you'll be walking!"

"Alright, I'm coming," Mimi called, handing Belle the last clip for her hair. "Have a good time for me Belle."

"I will. I just wish you could come too," Belle said.

"So do I..."

"Miriam! Come on already!" Brady yelled, grabbing his jacket and rushing out the door. Mimi winced. She hated her full name! She gave Belle a quick hug and followed Brady out, not catching up to him till they reached his jeep.

"What's the big rush?" Mimi complained, out of breathe.

"Getting you to your precious boyfriend on time," Brady replied, seating himself behind the wheel. Mimi scowled, growing sick of everyone talking badly/sarcastically about Kevin.

"You're cute, but sure as hell one sarcastic pain in the ass," Mimi muttered getting into the jeep.

"Do you want a ride or not, Miriam?" Brady intentionally used her full name again, knowing it drove her crazy. Mimi narrowed her eyes at him but nodded, not wishing to walk. "Then shut up, sit back, and enjoy the fucking ride," Brady snapped. He didn't mean to take his frustrations out on Mimi. Really there were times he could stand the sight of her, but she was as good a target as any. Definitely no Chloe Lane when it came to countering his attacks, but no one was quite like her. Mimi crossed her arms in a huff, glaring out the passenger side window. Brady started the engine, pulling quickly out of the underground parking lot. The sooner he ditched Mimi, the better. After a few moments, Mimi noticed a small plastic box at her feet.

"What's this?" Mimi asked, picking up the clear box which held Chloe's forgotten teddy bear, the brandy rose long since been removed.

"Don't touch that! It's not yours," Brady demanded, attempting to grab the bear away from her while still keeping the car on the road. But Mimi held it just out of reach.

"Aw, big bad Brady Black got a crush on someone? Who's the lucky girl, Brady?" Mimi taunted.

"Mimi, just give me the..."

"Yuck, this is for Chloe isn't it?" Mimi wrinkled her nose in realization.

"That's none of your damn business Miriam. What does it matter to you anyway? It's just a stupid stuffed animal."

"Now I _know_ you got this for Chloe. Please do not tell me Ghoul Girl put the same spell on you that she put on Philip."

"Don't call her that!" Brady commanded. "For your information, Mimi, her name, is Chloe, and yes, not that it's any of your fucking business, but I did get that for her." Mimi narrowed her eyes at him, face flushed with anger.

"How dare you talk to me like that!"

"How dare _I _talk to you like that? You're the one that started all this by opening your big fat mouth before thinking. If you can't handle the answers, Miriam, don't ask questions."

"Well excuse me for having a mind of my own! I can't help it that it disgusts me to see Chloe Lane turn all my friends into mindless love-sick zombies!"

"Ah, no wonder she hasn't gotten to you yet, you never had much of a mind in the first place."

"You listen here, Black, don't you ever..." she was cut off by Brady pulling the jeep to an abrupt stop.

"Out," Brady said simply. He'd already completely lost any sense of self-control, he couldn't stand one more minute in a car with Mimi.

"What? We're not to my house yet."

"Do I look like I give a damn Mimi? Get the hell out of my car, right now!" Brady demanded.

"Fine, whatever. Excuse me for trying to give some sound advice!" Mimi huffed, opening the car door and getting out. Brady barely gave her enough time to slam the door shut before speeding off towards the Kiriakis mansion. Nor did his anger-clouded mind give himself enough time to realize what an asshole he was for forcing someone out of his car in the middle of nowhere to walk alone, this late, with a serial killer on the lose. Nicole's apartment was being fumigated, and in one of his few and far between spouts of kindness, Philip was allowing her to stay in the Kiriakis mansion for a few days. As Brady sped off to pick up Nicole, he prayed to anyone that would listen Philip wouldn't be there, for the little runts own safety...


	6. Chapter 6: Closure At Last

Chapter 6: Closure at Last

Chloe rolled her eyes, tuning out Philip and Hawk's conversation entirely. They had only been at the dance for fifteen minutes now, and already Philip had her trapped next to him, forcing her to listen to Hawk's football talk. God how she hated sports now! Belle had yet to arrive, so Chloe had no escape. And, as was expected, few others had actually shown up. The place was dead; the only action being Cynthia, on the prowl for her next good lay.

"I'm going to get some punch," Chloe excused herself, quickly retreating to the punch bowl. She noticed Kevin, fiddling with some video equipment with a frustrated look on his face. But she really didn't care to go over and talk with him. She doubted that in her current mood, she'd be any help to him. That's when she noticed Brady. Brady, and Nicole, who looked as whorish as ever. _God, where does she get her clothing, Barbie's-R-Us_ Chloe thought bitterly. No, she doubted Nicole's clothing would fit even a Barbie doll. It seemed that almost the moment Brady entered the near empty dance hall, Philip was again right at her side.

"What do you say we liven' this place up a bit, Chloe? Care to dance?" Philip asked, though the music being played at the moment was fair from lively.

"Not really very lively music. I don't feel like dancing just yet, I want to talk to Belle first. Is she here yet?" Chloe asked, purposely trying to avoid dancing with Philip.

"Couldn't miss her in this place," Philip murmured. "Come on Chloe, I promised we'd have fun tonight, and standing around doing nothing sure as hell isn't any fun. Please? I'll go request some good music," Philip offered. Chloe sighed, dipping out some punch.

"Alright, fine, but no country!" Chloe commented. Philip grinned, moving off to the DJ's table. Chloe suddenly got the sensation someone was watching her. And sure enough, Brady had spotted her while Philip was walking away to request some better music. Chloe turned, catching Brady's intent gaze. Nicole immediately noticed, promptly taking Brady by the arm and leading him in Chloe's direction.

"Ah, Chloe, it's so nice to see you here. And my, don't you look stunning tonight. Don't you agree Brady?" Nicole questioned knowingly.

"She always looks stunning," Brady replied, causing Chloe to blush profusely.

"Thank you, Nicole. Brady," Chloe said softly, shuffling her high-heel clad feet. She couldn't help but sense that Brady was again in a foul mood.

"Good afternoon, Nephew. Nicole." It was Philip, coming up behind Chloe and placing his hands possessively on her shoulders.

"Philip," Brady greeted, straining to watch his temper. God, the night had just started, and it already sucked beyond all reason. "I hope the two of you are having fun tonight. Doesn't seem as if anyone's going to show," Brady stated, trying his best to be civil.

"No, it doesn't, but Chloe and I are having a great time, together," Philip stated, stressing the "together" part in what sounded far too much like a triumphant, "I win!" tone. Brady's jaw clenched, and Chloe's face flushed a different type of red. "Well, I hate to not stay and talk, but the song I requested is up next. Shall we?" Philip asked, holding out a hand to Chloe. Chloe hesitated, almost ready to blow up at him, but nodded, taking his hand. It would do no good. They seemed to be playing the same game over and over. Besides, she wasn't over being angry at Brady either.

"We'll talk to you later, Nicole, Brady," Chloe said softly, allowing Philip to lead her away.

"I hope you like the song I picked out Chloe. They didn't have a very good selection at the DJ table," Philip said. As the song began and Philip pulled her out on the dance floor, Chloe rolled her eyes. He would pick something that arrogant! Hesitantly, Chloe allowed herself to be pulled into the dancing, swaying to the sound of "She Likes Me for Me" by Lit. As they danced, Chloe noticed what might have been the first look of amusement in days cross Brady's face as he and Nicole met up with Belle and Shawn, who were not technically at the dance together. Belle hadn't technically been avoiding him, even though the full truth about Jan had not yet been revealed. Officially, all anyone knew was that Shawn had claimed he was the father of her child. No one else but Shawn knew the truth, that Shawn only said that to keep a traumatized Jan from aborting the child that had resulted from her encounter with Paul Mendez. Now that Jan was... gone, however, Shawn hoped he could straighten everything out. It pained him that Belle still couldn't look him in the eye, at least not without feeling as if there was major resentment in the gaze. Despite that, Belle still seemed to be drawn to Shawn when they both arrived at the dance around the same time, as if it was a habit even all the turmoil they'd been through couldn't break.

As Lit ended, Chloe was pulled back into Philip's next dedication before she could protest. Not only was it a slow song, but somehow it struck another cord of arrogance that Philip would request this song, "Hanging By a Moment" by Lifehouse.

"Let me guess, "I Need You" is next?" Chloe asked, coming off as sounding much more bitter then she'd hoped.

"Chloe, you say it like it's a joke!" Philip practically yelled.

"Sorry," Chloe muttered, though she didn't mean it. "Let's not argue, just dance," Chloe said, resting her head on his shoulder to calm him before he got the chance to blow up. And it worked, Philip immediately calmed, resting his hand on the small of her back. Indeed, Chloe had to dance through this slow song, and "I Need You" before she was allowed to sit down. Belle rushed over on cue, as if knowing Chloe needed saving.

"Come on girl, let's hit the powder room," Belle said, giving no explanation. Chloe grabbed her little purse, flashing a relieved smile.

"We'll be back, Shawn'll keep you company," Chloe said before following Belle to the ladies bathroom. The moment the bathroom door was shut, Chloe leaned against it, letting out an exasperated cry.

"Ugh! I should have known," Chloe stated.

"So, I take it I was right. You're not having a good time."

"No Belle, I'm not. I thought I could, but the moment I said yes, that whole "calm, collected rational buddy" part of Philip faded, and things are back to the way they were before," Chloe said sadly. That wasn't what she wanted. She had started to like the new side of Philip that he showed last Tuesday, making her feel even more guilty for pulling away. But now, that seemed just different somehow.

"Well, then why don't you just put an end to this whole back and forth thing tonight?" Belle suggested.

"Wait a minute, weren't you just all for me getting back together with Philip?" After their last phone conversation, it was clear Belle was so excited that Chloe was giving Philip a second chance.

"Not if it makes you miserable after, what, 20 minutes. Chloe, everyone's getting really tired of this whole on again off again thing. Do you want to be with Philip, or not?"

"It's not that simple Belle! I do want to be with Philip, but not _this_ Philip. Not the jealous, possessive Philip. I've seen how sweet and wonderful he can be, but he always goes right back to jealous, possessive, and controlling!" Chloe exclaimed, walking up to the mirror and putting her purse on the sink.

"So, if you feel that way, why did you decide on the second chance?"

"Because... I... I don't want to hurt him. He's going through so much Belle. And no matter how calm he may seem, he obviously is in complete denial this time around and hasn't come to terms with Victor's death!"

"Maybe my brother was right..." Belle murmured, checking her make up and hair in the mirror. Chloe gave her a questioning glance via the mirror. "When he said Philip was just playing on your sympathies. Do you feel like that's what he's doing Chloe?"

"I..." Chloe hesitated. That's exactly how she was beginning to feel. Long before Nancy, or even Brady mentioned it, she had to wonder. "I think that's what he's doing Belle. I don't want to think that, because I know he really _is_ hurting. It's just... it all feels like it did the last time, after the coronation. It's like, Philip always needs me to be his savior, and it doesn't matter what I need," Chloe admitted softly.

"So, tell him. Look, I know I was all for you two getting back together, but even I can see he's playing you this time. Phil's a great guy, usually, but... maybe Brady was right. Maybe as much as I'd like the two of you to be together, you're just not compatible, ya know?"

"Yeah... Belle, you don't know how much I want Philip to need me, love me. It's just... he doesn't care about what I need from him," Chloe said sadly.

"Well then, it sounds to me like you've made up your mind, at least where Philip's concerned," Belle said, implying Chloe still had other decisions she needed to make. Of course, she wasn't about to broach the topic of Brady. Not tonight at least.

"Yeah... yeah, I think I have. For me at least, Philip makes a better friend then a boyfriend. And if that's not enough for him, then that's his own fault. I have plenty of friends who can be satisfied with me, the real me," Chloe said firmly, feeling much better. Of course, she was dreading the inevitable fight ahead. But Belle was right. This on again off again thing wasn't doing anyone any one any good. "Come on girl, before I loose my nerve," Chloe said, causing Belle to laugh slightly, following her out the bathroom door. Belle excused herself to go find Shawn, giving Chloe a few last minute words of encouragement. As she was walking in front of the DJ's table, she bumped into Brady, who was on a mission to get some punch, which he prayed one of the few guys here had spiked.

"Hey there, Diva. Pull yourself away from your boyfriend long enough to mingle with the diminishing crowd?" Brady asked, a smug grin on his face. Rather then getting mad, Chloe just smiled, mostly at the boyfriend reference.

"I was actually just getting a pep talk from your little sister," Chloe stated. She then noticed the large CD holder on the DJ table, holding all the inserts from the provided selection. Chloe grinned, deciding she too could dedicate a song to her and Philip. "Hey Brady, help me pick out a song," Chloe said, picking up the CD holder. The DJ gave her a once over, thinking to himself that he wished the chicks had been that hot back in his high school days before returning to his work.

"Sure. For whom?"

"My "boyfriend" and I," Chloe replied nonchalantly.

"Um, I'll pass then. Not good with the lovey dovey stuff. At least not where Uncle Phil's concerned," Brady muttered dryly. He was about to walk away, when Chloe reached out and stopped him.

"Now just wait a second, I think you'll like my choice," Chloe stated, holding out the CD holder and indicating the CD Cover of her choice. Brady took one look at the song name under her finger, and a sly grin spread across his face.

"About damn time, Diva," Brady commented as she turned to tell the DJ which CD and which number she wanted played.

"Sure thing, sweet thang," the DJ muttered, though Chloe didn't really catch that part, or him staring at her rear end when she turned back to Brady.

"If you'll excuse me. Don't want to miss the next dance," Chloe said brightly. Brady watched her leaving, shaking his head and chuckling for the first time in days. Chloe walked up to Philip, grabbing his hand. "Come on, I requested a song," Chloe said, dragging him away from more football talk with Hawk. Philip gave her a warning look, that screamed "could you be more rude" but complied, following her out onto the dance floor. Chloe grinned deviously as sounds of "Spiderwebs" by No Doubt began to drift throughout the gym. Even Philip couldn't seem to deny the meaning behind the lyrics as they hit his ears.

"Chloe, what's the meaning of this? I didn't know you like No Doubt," Philip said, hoping she just liked the song.

"I don't," Chloe said dryly. "And no, Philip, I don't just like the song." Chloe said, reading him like an open book.

"But Chloe, I don't understand..."

"Look Philip, I don't want any big arguments. No more yelling, no more hurting. I came with you tonight thinking you'd changed, but the only thing that I realized was, you and I aren't meant to be anything but friends."

"No, don't say that..." Philip was getting that pleading look in his eyes that he always did. "Come on Chloe, things are different now."

"No, they aren't Philip. You changed, yes, but as you can see, it didn't last longer then it took me to give you another chance. Please Philip, don't make this harder then it already is. I do want us to be friends. I want that more than anything. But we can't be anything more, don't you understand that?"

"No, no I don't Chloe. I LOVE you. I don't want just friendship."

"Philip, pressuring her is what broke you two up in the first place," Belle said softly, coming up behind Philip.

"Yeah man, please don't make another scene. You guys worked really great together as friends. You were a better man for letting things be," Shawn piped in. Philip's jaw clenched, a frighteningly familiar anger glinting in his eyes.

"I can't believe you two! You're suppose to be on my side, especially you Benedict Belle!" Philip cried, causing the few couples in the room to look their way, much to Chloe's discomfort.

"Philip, stop this right now," Chloe demanded.

"No, no Chloe I won't. You're the one who wants to break up with me, so you're going to here me out!"

"No I'm not Philip. I don't have to do anything you tell me to! I don't even want to be friends with you if you can even think like that!" Chloe hissed, pushing back tears. Before he could stop her, Chloe turned for the door, brushing passed Nicole, Kevin, Brady and some other couples she didn't recognize as she made a quick retreat out the door.

"Chloe, wait!" Philip called, attempting to go after her, but Brady stopped him.

"Stop right there, Uncle Phil. Let her go," Brady commanded.

"You! You've poisoned her against me again!" Philip screamed.

"Don't flatter yourself Philip. I'm not to blame for your problems. For your information, Chloe and I have barely talked in the last week. You're the one that keeps screwing things up," Brady stated, letting go of Philip's arm. He was out the door before Philip could get in another word. Mimi, coming to pick up Kevin for whatever special thing it was he had planned, smirked at Philip as Kevin came up to her.

"I hate to say it, no... actually, I'm going to rather enjoy saying it. I told you so," Mimi said triumphantly, linking her arm in Kevin's and leaving the gym. The few couples at the dance continued on about their business while Belle tried to calm a seething Philip.

"Just, don't even touch me Belle. I'm so out of here," Philip stated, before he too left the gym. Belle sighed, leaning in to Shawn as he wrapped his arms protectively around her, a habit that even their recent distance hadn't been able to break.

"This has been one hell of a week," Shawn muttered, watching Philip storm out into the dark night...

"Chloe, wait up!" Brady called, catching up to Chloe on the edge of the parking lot. It was evident she'd started to cry.

"Why does he always have to make a big scene?" Chloe asked, trying to regain her composure in front of Brady. Brady shook his head sadly.

"I can't answer that Chloe. Uncle Phil... well, he hasn't exactly had the most prime examples of sanity in his life. Grandpa Vic was too easy on him, and Kate is obviously beyond disturbed. I'm sorry it has to be you that suffers because of it," Brady said sincerely. Chloe shook off the tears, determined not to cry over Philip anymore

"It doesn't matter now. At least maybe it can all finally end. If he doesn't accept that I only want to be his friend, then that's his business. I'm through with it all," Chloe said firmly. Brady nodded, unsure of what he should say.

"I'm glad you've finally come to a decision Chloe. I really do hate to see you hurting, you know that right?"

"I know Brady. I'm sorry I've been so difficult," Chloe said. Brady flashed that sly boyish grin of his.

"No reason to be sorry. It's just one of the many things I love about you," Brady said, cursing himself immediately. Damn those slips of the tongue! "I mean... um, oh hell you get my point. Gotta love the fact that you're not another mindless cheerleader, who's sole mission in life is to buy out Salem Place. God knows Belle brings home enough of those," Brady covered. Chloe grinned.

"Yeah well, sometimes I wonder if life would be much easier if I were."

"Easier, maybe. Nearly as fulfilling in the end? Never," Brady stated. He caught sight of Mimi and Kevin leaving the gym, and suddenly wanted to get as far away as possible, least he have to deal with any more of that girls squawking. Although the brief thought that his tantrum hadn't caused her to be in any way hurt did cross his mind. "Well, since your night with Philip seems to be over, why don't you let me give you a ride home? I can drop you off and come back to get Nicole later. She doesn't want to leave yet. I think being in the Kiriakis mansion is harder then she thought it would be," Brady said. Chloe nodded.

"Thank you Brady, I'd love that. I can't wait to get home and just crawl into bed and forget this whole night ever happened," Chloe said. Brady linked her arm in his, admiring how sexy the plain outfit appeared on her for at least the third time that night.

"Well then, let's go." Brady said, leading her to his black jeep. He helped her in before moving over to the driver seat. They were already out of the parking lot before Chloe noticed her forgotten bear. The first night, she'd been too much in a daze to remember to retrieve it from the backseat. The second, she'd been to angry to remember he gave it to her at all.

"Oh my gosh. I can't believe I forgot this," Chloe breathed, picking it up from where Mimi had discarded it. Brady didn't take his eyes off the road, for fear she'd read the hurt there that she might not want it.

"I took out the rose because it was wilting. I just... I figured you didn't like it."

"How could I not want it Brady?" Chloe breathed. "It's... it's only the most thoughtful gift I've ever gotten," Chloe whispered.

"I... you, um, you really like it? I know it's nothing like the one you probably wanted, but I thought... well, you being a Diva and all..." Brady started. Chloe smiled, sensing his nervousness.

"I love it Brady. Thank you so much. I didn't even know that you'd remember."

"I remember every moment I'm with you," Brady said quietly. Chloe looked down at the bear, unsure of what to say next.

"Um, like I said... I was so touched you'd remember. I'm sorry I forgot it. A lots been going on," Chloe said, removing the plastic container and tossing it aside so she could hold the soft bear. Brady sighed, realizing she'd shut down as she always did.

"Yeah. It's alright, I understand. I haven't exactly been the easiest to deal with lately."

"Not that you ever are," Chloe teased. Brady grinned, turning into the Wesley driveway.

"Like you should talk," Brady countered. He got out of the jeep, coming around to open the door for Chloe. "I'm sorry you didn't have such a great time tonight. Although, given the mood around town, it doesn't surprise me."

"Yeah. It's not your fault Brady. Hopefully, things will settle down soon," Chloe said hopefully, stepping out into the cool night air, clutching her bear as if it were suddenly a lifeline. "Well, um... thanks for the ride home Brady," Chloe murmured.

"Anytime, Diva," Brady said quietly. Chloe flashed him a bright smile before she started for the front door. Brady watched her until she disappeared into her house before he got back in his jeep and drove back to the school...


	7. Chapter 7: Revelations

Chapter 7: Revelations

Mimi smiled brightly at Kevin, who sat beside her in the passenger seat of her family car. The special surprise Kevin had planned proved to be everything it promised. They were now on their way back to Kevin's, where Mimi would drop him off and head home. Mimi's mind was still reeling from the events of tonight; the look of fury on Philip's face, her heated argument with Brady, later seeing Brady leave the dance with Chloe. Mimi truly hated to see her best friend's older brother fall into the same trap as Philip had, but Brady proved to her tonight that he obviously had no intention of listening to reason, so she wouldn't dwell on it.

"I had a great time tonight Meems. Well, despite the outburst from a certain spoiled rich boy," Kevin said. Mimi laughed, keeping her eyes one the road. True, Philip had once been a dear friend, but he just wasn't the same guy after Chloe.

"I happen to think it was his most entertaining outburst yet," Mimi commented.

"You think it's really over this time?" Kevin asked, referring to Philip and Chloe.

"With those two, you never know," Mimi answered dryly, turning the wheel and setting the car on a track towards the river. "Philip is... very persuasive when he finds something he wants. And he always gets what he wants," Mimi stated. Neither one of them noticed the black Sadan emerge from the darkness and begin to follow them.

"Yeah, I've noticed..." Kevin murmured. As the bridge overlooking the river came into view, Mimi straightened, the hairs on the back of her neck standing on end. A creepy "I Know I'm Being Watched" feeling engulfed her, sending a cold chill down her spine.

"What the hell..." no sooner had the words left her mouth then both of them felt the abrupt jolt of the black Sadan intentionally ramming the back bumper of the Lockhart family car. Mimi immediately had to fight for control of the wheel after the unsuspected invasion. Her car swerved onto the bridge, barely missing the oncoming car that most of Salem would later discover to be Bo and Hope. The Sadan missed Bo and Hope easily, using the momentarily empty lane to pull ahead, running alongside Mimi and Kevin. "Oh God!" Mimi swore as the intruder swerved towards them, smashing into Mimi's side. It was clear the driver's intent was to drive Mimi and Kevin off the road and into the icy depths below. Mimi hit the gas pedal, trying in vain to escape the inevitable. Kevin grasped her arm tightly as the Sadan rammed their car a second time, sending the weaker and off guard car spiraling into the railing. Unfortunately for the Sadan, the once unpopulated left lane didn't stay that way long as another car came out of no where, it's more then likely drunken occupants not noticing the scene until it was too late. The newest car slammed into the Sadan, toppling Kevin and Mimi's car over the side and into the river below, leaving the Sadan to teeter dangerously on the edge. The last thing Mimi or Kevin saw was the rush of the black water. Then, there was nothing.

The Sadan too would suffer the same fate as the Lockhart car, the shifting weight of it's solitary occupant as he prepared to jump causing the wavering vehicle to give in to gravity and plummet forward. The teenage occupants of the third car which sealed Kevin and Mimi's fate fled their car, followed by Bo and Hope and two other residents of Salem who stood witness to the accident. All the onlookers watched in deafening silence as the two cars sank below the icy black surface of the river. Bo, pulling himself out of the shocked trance and kicking into "cop mode", tossed Hope his cell phone to call for back-up and immediately discarded his jacket, diving headfirst into the cold water to try and save whomever it may be in the quickly sinking vehicles. No one noticed the dark, shadowy figure pull itself out of the current and onto the bank, disappearing into the safety of the woods...

Kate Roberts stoked the fire nervously, glancing at the clock above the mantle for the millionth time. Nicole had arrived home well over an hour ago, signifying the end of the school dance. Philip should have been home just after, but had yet to show up. Surprisingly enough, though, Kate and Nicole had been able to be civil to one another now that Victor was gone. Of course, they still hated each other, always mindful of the others every move, but somehow neither felt very threatened now that they didn't have to fight over Victor. After watching the news report, Nicole quickly retreated up to her room, leaving a worried Kate to wait alone downstairs for her youngest son.

"Where are you Philip?" Kate whispered, replacing the fire poker in it's stand. Soon after she seated herself in the chair next to the television, which had been left on by Nicole, Kate heard the sound of the door slam shut. Kate stood, hurrying out of the living room in the hopes that it was Philip. Sure enough, when she reached the foyer, their stood her youngest son, removing a soaking wet jacket.

"Philip!" Kate cried in surprise at her son's appearance. "You're soaking wet! Son, what happened?"

"Miscalculation," Philip muttered, shaking slightly from the environment change; extreme, numbing cold to the warmth of his home.

"Philip, you're shaking! Come on, we need to get you out of those wet clothes."

"I'm fine mother. I can take care of myself," Philip stated, shaking her off and walking, well, rather sloshing his way to the stairs. He descended 10 minutes later, dressed in fresh dry clothes, his long locks still damp. He was suddenly starving, intent on making his way into the kitchen when his mother stopped him in the living room.

"Philip, please, tell me what's going on. Why did you come home so late, and soaking wet?" Kate demanded.

"Later mom," Philip said firmly, brushing his mother aside and continuing to the kitchen, but to no avail.

"Philip! You're starting to worry me son. Please, talk to me," Kate pleaded. Before Philip could push the pleas aside, they both noticed the television report switch from some boring documentary to a special bulletin.

"This is Janet Newton reporting to you live from the Hudson. As you can very well see behind me, the little town of Salem is again in a total uproar. Two local teenagers, Miriam Lockhart and Kevin Lambert, died late this evening after their car was run off the road and into the river below. Sources say the two were on their way home from a date after the dance at our local high school. Resident Officer Bo Brady and his wife, Hope Williams Brady were a witness to the terrible event after spotting Ms. Lockhart's car swerve dangerously onto the bridge, followed by a black Sadan. There is no doubt the incident was intentional. After being sideswiped, Ms. Lockhart's car plummeted down into the icy water below. According to a live witness report, a car full of local teenagers slammed into the black Sadan, sending it down into the river alongside the Lockhart car. All the teens from that car have been reported as completely uninjured, although one arrest has been made; the driver, Hawk Smithson was found to be under the influence of alcohol. The bodies of Miriam Lockhart and Kevin Lambert have been pulled from the submerged car, but both we're pronounced dead on the scene. No body has been found in the car responsible, which gives the option that the assailant may still be alive and at large. The Salem P.D. is asking that everyone proceed with extreme caution until either a body is found, or an arrest is made. Stay tuned for more updates..." at this point, Philip clicked off the television.

"You shouldn't listen to such things mother. They'll upset you," Philip stated, completely emotionless.

"Philip?" Kate questioned softly, afraid to ask him her next question. "Where... where were you tonight?"

"Went for a little swim," Philip answered nonchalantly. He walked to the fireplace, no longer craving food.

"Philip... you didn't... did you?" Philip remained quiet for a moment, staring blankly without actually seeing the flames as they consumed the wooden logs placed within it's confines. "Philip! Answer me, damn it!"

"No one will miss them. They got in my way," Philip replied calmly. Kate gasped, bringing a hand up to her mouth.

"Philip no!" Kate breathed in disbelief. She shook her head, a very unwanted sense of realization washing over her. "And Victor?"

"Yes, him too. And Jan, and Jason. They all got in my way. They keep me from what's rightfully mine!" Philip stated. Kate turned away from her son, disbelief written all over her face.

"When you asked me to cover for that hour you weren't with him, I thought you... I thought you'd think the police would blame you," Kate breathed. "How... why Philip? Why would you do this?"

"I told you already, they were keeping me from Chloe!" Philip growled, pure anger etching both his face and voice.

"Chloe?! You're going on a killing spree, all because of that disgusting little whore?!" Kate yelled. Philip turned in a flash, tightly gripping his mother's arm.

"Don't you _EVER_ say that about Chloe again!" Philip screamed, tightening his grip on his mother's arm and causing her to wince in pain. "If you ever even think about saying something like that again, I swear you'll be swimming with the fishes along with the rest!" Philip growled. One emotion showed plainly on his face; pure madness.

"You're crazy," Kate managed despite the pain radiating through her arm. "You need help Philip." Philip dropped her arm in disgust.

"The only thing I need is Chloe," Philip stated, turning back to the fireplace.

"No Philip, you... you need real help. Help that I can't give you. But, you'll get it Philip. I've done everything I could to take care of Lucas. I promise you I'll take care of everything. I have to get you out of town, far away before everyone discovers what you've done," Kate explained. She turned away to grab her cell phone laying on the table, leaving her back open to her disturbed son. Philip's eyes narrowed, his gaze landing on the stand beside the fire place. He reached out, taking the fire poker from it's stand.

"I'm tired of you cleaning up my messes mother," Philip said, lifting the fire poker. Before Kate had time to react, Philip struck her hard in the back, sending her, her cell phone, and a few objects on the table to the floor. He kicked her in the stomach, forcing her to roll onto her painfully throbbing back. "I can take care of myself," Philip stated calmly, lifting the poker with it's deadly point facing down. Kate could only watch in complete horror as the poker made it's decent, seemingly in increasingly slow motion. Philip plunged the sharp poker violently down into his mother's abdomen, silently enjoying the sharp gasp of shocking pain he received in reply.

"Philip..." Kate managed, bringing her hands weakly up to grasp the intruding poker with her last bit of fleeting energy. The searing pain faded to a cold numb as her eyes fluttered close and her last breathes became ragged and shallow.

"Oh my God!" Nicole exclaimed from the doorway. She'd heard yelling from her room, and decided to investigate. God how she wished she hadn't! Philip grinned with delight as he caught sight of her, sending her running for the front door in fear. He was quicker, bounding out of the living room after her in time to slam the door in her face.

"Stay awhile, Nicky baby. The fun's just beginning," Philip said with a sly grin. Nicole ducked under his arm, making a break for the backdoor. She didn't even make it through the living room before he caught her by the waist, lifting the kicking and screaming woman with ease. "Ya ever hear the expression "Play with fire, get burned"?" Philip asked. Nicole's eyes went wide at his intent. She made one last ditch effort to escape, managing to scratch Philip's face. But it only served to fuel his madness. Philip picked her up, one hand grasping the back of her neck tightly and the other gripping her legs, lifting her up into a horizontal position. "That wasn't very nice Nicky," Philip spat. With that, Philip brought his arms back, hurling Nicole headfirst into the blazing flames and delighting in her shrill scream. Fortunately for Nicole, the force of Philip's throw was enough to cause her head to hit the hard brick wall in the back of the fireplace, sending her into a state of unaware unconsciousness before the flames could begin to quickly consume her body. Philip didn't get to admire his handiwork for long, as he thought he heard someone in the kitchen. He raced forward in time to catch Henderson, fleeing via the backdoor. "What the hell is this, a bloody peep show?!" Philip cried, catching Henderson by the collar before he could escape.

"M...ma... Master Philip," Henderson squeaked. "Pu... please..."

"Yeah yeah, don't hurt me. You already proved that I can't trust you. Sorry guy, shoulda taken my offer of another week off," Philip said nonchalantly. He dragged Henderson into the living room, finding satisfaction in the fact that his incident with Nicole would set the entire house ablaze as the fire had already begun to spread. Philip picked up a vase, slamming Henderson in the back of the head. Poor Henderson, far too frightened to fight, dropped like a ton of bricks, leaving Philip to walk unharmed, save a scratch across his face, out the front door and far away from the second Kiriakis mansion to be set ablaze in a fit of fury. Philip was long gone by the time the fire department reached the mansion...

"It doesn't look good for him," Bo commented. After dealing with the car accident, he and his brother Roman made their way to the Kiriakis mansion. The fire department reached the place quicker then suspected. The flames were all extinguished, and only the living room, hallway, and kitchen suffered fire damage. Kate and Nicole's bodies had been taken from the house and were on their way to the morgue, although Nicole's was burned almost beyond recognition. Henderson was on his way to Salem University Hospital; the fire department reached him in time to save his life, but it appeared he would suffer the same comatose fate as Lucas before him. If he ever did wake, it wouldn't be to much of a life; disfiguring scars would probably be the least of poor Henderson's worries. "You'd think the Kiriakis family would avoid mansions. I'm starting to wonder about these ritual Kiriakis bond fires," Bo said wearily. He was worn out from his late night dive, but he refused to go home except for dry clothing when he received word about the fire at the Kiriakis mansion.

"Well, the department has no choice now. We have more then enough grounds to issue a severe city wide curfew," Roman stated bleakly. "Contact the school board, I want all after school activities and trips cancelled. Cancel any public events and put out an order for the curfew to be set at 7:30," Roman stated. No matter how extreme a time, this was getting bloody ridiculous!

"Right. I'm on it," Bo said, moving off the crowded scene to follow his orders. Roman surveyed the mansion, noting that from the outside, everything still looked normal and in order.

"I'm going to find the sick bastard that did this. And when I do, I'm going to make damn sure he suffers a life of straight jackets, solitary confinement, and experimentally high levels of electricity," Roman vowed aloud to no one but himself. It wasn't hard to figure out that Philip was the only household member that couldn't be found. As high a suspect as Brady had been the past week, this little stunt seemed to point only to the youngest Kiriakis. Roman had no clue where he could be, but he was going to find the little prick one way or another. Roman barked out a few more orders before pushing through the media to his car. He was sure Philip wouldn't be there, but the Black family penthouse seemed as good a place to start as any...


	8. Chapter 8: Midnight Rendezvous

Chapter 8: Midnight Rendezvous

Brady rolled onto his side, groaning in protest as he was forced out of the first restful sleep he'd had in a week. Whoever was at the door was making damn sure he woke everyone in the penthouse. Brady reluctantly rolled out of bed, shaking off the last ruminants of sleep. Clad in only his black boxers, Brady opened his bedroom door and started for the stairs, running into a very cranky Belle. John and Marlena were already at the door.

"What's the meaning of this Roman?" John demanded, his arm protectively wrapped around his wife's shoulders.

"Don't worry Black, it's not a social call. Is Brady here?"

"We've got to stop these midnight rendezvous Roman. People will talk," Brady said sarcastically from the bottom of the stairs. Roman dismissed the comment, too tired to respond.

"Actually, I'd like to speak to all of you. May I come in?" Roman asked. If it were up to John, the door would have slammed in Roman's face long ago, but Marlena stopped any negative advances with a calming hand to his shoulder.

"Of course Roman, come inside and have a seat," Marlena invited, opening the door the rest of the way to let him in. Brady flung himself down onto the couch. Belle followed suit, although she sat leaning up against her older brother, still groggy from being disturbed from her slumber. Marlena seated herself next to Belle, pulling her robe tighter around her. Roman reluctantly sat in the chair opposite of the couch while John stood protectively behind Marlena and Belle on the couch.

"What's the deal Roman?" John demanded.

"I don't suppose you've turned on the television lately," Roman commented dryly.

"Most people are asleep at this hour Roman. Ya know, insomnia is a serious health risk. You really should see someone about that," Brady stated.

"I didn't come here to banter. Look, it's been a long night, so lets just cut the bull and get down to business here. Have any of you seen Philip Kiriakis tonight?"

"Not since the dance," Belle answered sleepily.

"What's the little shit down now?" Brady questioned.

"I'm not sure he's responsible, but he's my best bet at the moment."

"Responsible for what Roman? What else has happened?" Marlena asked.

"At the way the media has jumped all over this, I'm really surprised you don't know. I would have thought Hope would have called. Salem is in a complete uproar," Roman replied. "There has been another murder. Two more incidents to be exact. Four more people have been killed, and one in critical condition." Both Belle and Marlena gasped in surprise, only John and Brady stated calm.

"Who?" Brady asked. Roman paused, not wishing to be the bearer of such bad news. He knew full well Mimi and Belle had been best friends for as long as the two could remember.

"Kate Roberts, Nicole Walker, Kevin Lambert... and Miriam Lockhart," Roman answered reluctantly, finding himself unable to look Belle in the eye as the final name came out of his mouth. Belle was floored, all feeling of grogginess drained from her body.

"Oh my God! No, no, Mimi can't be dead!" Belle wailed. Brady immediately wrapped his arms around his sister, drawing her into a tight embrace as she began to sob. John placed a comforting hand on Belle's back, and one on Marlena's shoulder. Brady was almost too shocked himself to comfort Belle, but instinct came first over everything and his first instinct was to protect the ones he loved. Nicole had been with him mere hours before, and his last meeting with Mimi left him feeling as guilty as the moment he found out Victor had been murdered not long after their last angry meeting.

"It's going to be alright, Tink," was all Brady could manage. He knew from personal experience that the closeness of family would do more good then any words ever could.

"Brady, maybe you should take your sister upstairs," Marlena suggested.

"No! I want to... please... I... what happened?" Belle asked, dreading the answer. But she needed to know, and the presence of her old brother, father, and mother gave her strength.

"Isabella, perhaps it's best..." Roman started.

"Mimi was her best friend Roman. She deserves to know," Brady interrupted, although if it were up to him, Belle wouldn't still be anywhere near Roman and his bad news. He only wished to shield his baby sister from harm, but lies and treating her as if she were a child who was unable to handle such "adult" news would do no good.

"I suppose she does," Roman replied reluctantly. He was watching Brady intently, mostly out of surprise that he had ruled him out so quickly as a suspect. Roman made no secret of his dislike for the rebellious young man, but for some reason, his instincts told him Brady was yet again wrongly accused. "Mimi and Kevin were ran off the road this evening and into the river. Bo noticed her car, looking as if she was losing control, and turned around when he saw the car following them. It was obviously an intended attack. Mimi and Kevin were steered into the railing and over the side. A car full of drunken teenagers not paying attention to where they were going smashed into the car that came after Mimi and Kevin and sent it into the river as well, but no body was found in that car. Which explains what happened at the Kiriakis Mansion, it was obviously the same person."

"And you think Philip may be responsible?" John inquired. Roman nodded in response.

"He was the only one not at the mansion when we arrived. I'll be honest. Originally Brady here was a very possible suspect, but... the facts seem to point to Philip. I was hoping one of you might know where he is," Roman said.

"As Belle told you, no one here has seen him since the dance at school," Marlena replied.

"No, this is... this is insane! Philip wouldn't do that to Mimi, or his parents or the others! He, he couldn't!" Belle sobbed. Brady wrapped his arms tighter around her, soothing her tears.

"Any ideas where he might go?" Roman questioned, choosing to ignore Belle's accusations. This family had been through so much already, Roman could imagine everything was bearing down especially hard on Isabella. Brady suddenly shot up, disengaging himself from Belle's embrace and bolting up the stairs, leaving the others stunned at his outburst. A moment later, Brady bounded back down the stairs, still pulling on a white wife beater. John grabbed his arm as Brady reached for his keys.

"Son?"

"Chloe," Brady said simply, pulling out of his father's grasp, grabbing his keys and disappearing out the door.

"Oh God! If Philip is behind all this..." Belle started.

"Then Chloe could very well be a target," Roman finished, standing up and taking out his cell phone. "John, you come with me, we're going to follow Brady to the Wesley's. I'll call for back up to met us there just to be sure," Roman instructed. John just nodded, grabbing his jacket. He gave his daughter and wife a glance of reassurance before disappearing out the door behind Roman, who was making calls to get officers to the Wesley house ahead of them. Belle buried her face in her mother's hair, letting the tears fall once again in heavy sobs.

"Oh mom," Belle sobbed. Marlena wrapped her arms around her daughter, bringing her hands up to smooth Belle's hair in a comforting motion.

"I know baby, I know. Everything will work out Belle. I know so much has happened, but your brother and your father will not let anything happen to Chloe. This ends now sweetheart. Everything's going to be alright," Marlena soothed, although at that moment, everything seemed the farthest from alright...

Brady drove like a mad man to get to Chloe's house. He couldn't shake the feeling that his Diva needed him. Brady could see the flashing lights of police cars as he approached the Wesley home. _Thank God, Roman did something smart for once._ Brady thought to himself. He pulled up to the curb behind the four cop cars just in time to hear the gun shot from within the Wesley home...

(earlier)

Philip silently opened Chloe's window, leaning far over from the tree outside her bedroom window to reach the window pane. He had to climb the tree to reach it, and his arms were just barely long enough to grasp the seal, but the fact that he could fall and kill himself never registered with Philip. All he knew was that his beauty was sleeping on the other side of that window, and it was time to claim what was his. Chloe might have rejected him at the dance, but Philip knew that wasn't her doing. It was all his bastard nephew's fault. Philip would enjoy beating the living shit out of Brady if he dared to try and keep him from his Chloe. Philip pulled himself onto the window seal, securing the gun he'd obtained from one of his old gambling buddies. He silently closed the window behind him, creeping slowly over to Chloe's beside. Chloe was sound asleep under her comforter, clutching the bear Brady gave her as if her life depended on it's presence. Philip reached out, gently stroking her soft cheek.

"So beautiful," Philip murmured aloud. Chloe stirred slightly, shying away from his touch. It was then he noticed the teddy bear. Even in the dim lighting the moon provided, Philip could easily read the colorful letters: Diva. "Brady," Philip growled, snatching up the bear and taking it with him to the window. He opened the window again, hurling the bear out. Chloe awoke the moment her precious gift left her grasp, setting up and letting her eyes adjust to the darkness in time to see Philip hurl her bear out the window.

"Philip! What the hell are you..." Chloe stopped mid-question, catching the glint of moonlight reflect of Philip's gun as he whirled around and trained it on her.

"Don't make a sound," Philip growled, seething from the sight of the bear he knew damn well Brady had given HIS girlfriend. Chloe gasped, momentarily frightened beyond words. This had to be a dream. Philip couldn't possibly be in her bedroom, and with a gun! She quickly regained her composure, not allowing him to see the true terror masked behind false strength.

"Philip, what the hell do you think your doing?" Chloe hissed.

"Claiming what's mine," Philip answered simply. Keeping the gun pointed on her, he grabbed a dark blue duffel bag off the floor and tossed it on her bed. "Here, pack up, we're leaving."

"Are you crazy?!" Chloe snapped.  
"Depends who ya talk to," Philip replied. "I'm serious here Chloe. Pack up what you need and we'll buy the rest when we get where we're going."

"I'm not going anywhere with you. We broke up, remember?"

"No, no we didn't! I know you didn't mean it, baby. It was all that manipulative bastard Brady's fault!" Philip hissed. As Chloe threw off her covers, Philip put his gun down on her nightstand.

"This is crazy Philip! Brady had nothing to do with what happened tonight. I am not your girlfriend, I never will be again, and I'm sure as hell not going anywhere with you. Now get the hell out of my house before I call the police!" Chloe challenged, boldly reaching for her phone, her back slightly facing Philip. Philip drew a cloth, which he himself doctored a few moments before in the car waiting for them on the side of the road behind the Wesley home, out of his pocket. He walked up behind her, grabbing her roughly and clasping the cloth over her mouth. Chloe struggled against him, trying vainly to scream for help, but the strong fumes overpowered her. She went limp in his arms, dropping the phone to the floor.

"I'm sorry it had to come to this, baby," Philip apologized, laying her down on the bed while he grabbed her duffel bag. As he began to shove some of Chloe's clothes and belongings into the bag, he heard soft whispering on the other side of Chloe's door. Philip grabbed the lamp of Chloe's vanity and moved to hide behind the door.

"Chloe, sweetie," Nancy called softly as she opened the door. Philip immediately lashed out, bringing the lamp down onto Nancy's head. Nancy was quickly down for the count, but Philip hadn't anticipated Craig's fist as it slammed into his scratched cheekbone.

"Son of a bitch!" Philip cursed as he hit the ground. Craig grabbed him by the shirt collar, hoisting him up off the floor and hurling him out the bedroom door. Then he followed in time for Philip to recover enough to ambush Craig, tackling him to the ground. Their was an intense struggle, fists flying, punches being thrown, kicks, anything to gain the upper hand. Philip managed to pull away, but only succeeded in throwing them both down the stairs. Philip landed hard on his back at the very bottom, where as Craig managed to take control and pull himself up to his feet on the platform separating the staircase. Craig pounced on the vulnerable Philip, punching him repeatedly in the face before he could recover. "Fucking get off me!" Philip screamed. He shoved Craig off him, scrambling up to his feet. By this time, Philip's nose was bloody, as was his now busted lip. Craig remained unharmed. When Philip regained his balance, he lunged for Craig again, throwing the fight into the living room. Philip managed to get the upper hand, slamming his fist square into Craig's jaw and sending the bigger man down. Philip took advantage of Craig's vulnerable position, grabbing the side of the heavy bookcase and pushing it over onto Craig's chest and lower body. Much to Philip's delight, Craig yelled out in pain, the heavy bookcase weighing down upon his chest and knocking the wind out of him. "Nice seeing ya, Doc, but Chloe and I have a date with destiny," Philip said smugly, wiping blood off his face. Craig struggled against the bookcase, wishing only to rip that smug grin right of Philip's face.

"Keep your disgusting hands off my daughter!" Craig growled despite his sudden inability to breathe properly. Philip smirked, shaking his head and leaving the struggling Craig to make his way back upstairs. He stepped over Nancy's unconscious form, grabbing his gun and replacing it in his belt, picking up the packed duffel bag and slinging Chloe over his shoulder like she was a weightless, little doll. By the time he reached the bottom of the stairs again, the police Roman had called for had arrived, although they had yet to surround the house. Philip groaned, obviously irritated. Would nothing go right tonight? The officers Roman sent weren't on high alert yet, as they'd only been instructed to met Roman there. But two new recruits were making their way to the front door to investigate the seemingly quiet scene. Philip tossed down the duffel bag, removing the gun from it's place again, locked the front door, and pushed open one of the windows just enough to put the barrel of the gun into. Philip released 2 shots, each hitting their mark as both officers went down. The two gunshots were open invitation for the other officers to open fire, smashing all the windows around the door and splintering the door itself. But Philip was long gone, carrying Chloe and the duffel bag out the back door and disappearing out of sight before the few back up officers had the chance to surround the house. The moment fire ceased, Brady bolted through the officers.

"Brady, stay back!" Roman ordered. He and John arrived a split second after Brady and saw the officers go down. John raced after his son, ignoring Roman's warnings. Brady kicked in the locked, splintered door.

"Chloe?!" Brady yelled. He quickly spotted Craig, sprawled on the living room floor and pinned under a bookcase. "Dr. Wesley!" Brady cried, rushing to the doctor's aid. Craig shook him off, pointing to the kitchen door.

"No... I'm fine. Go... Philip... has Chloe," Craig managed. Brady cried out to John to help Craig before sprinting through the kitchen and out the back door. He made it to the backyard in time to hear the squeal of tires on the back road as Philip pulled away, precious cargo propped up limply beside him. Brady noticed the white teddy bear lying on the ground; he bent down and picked it up quickly, tears beginning to stream down his face.

"Chloe," Brady whispered silently. He gripped the bear tighter, so tightly his knuckles shone white. "Chloe!" Brady yelled at the top of his lungs in anguish up at the sky. Bear still clutched in hand, Brady retreated through the house, rushing past his father and all the other officers and making a break for his jeep. He had to find them. He just had to...


	9. Chapter 9: A New Conspirator

Chapter 9: A New Conspirator

Philip secured the rope bindings on Chloe's feet, knowing full well that the effects of the drug would wear off very soon. He couldn't have his beloved Chloe running off before the final showdown come sun up. Philip had been vaguely aware that Brady was attempting to follow them. It hadn't been that hard to lose his bastard nephew, given his head start, and the fact that Brady's jeep had been on a completely different road then Philip was headed down. After losing Brady, Philip made his way to the new destination he'd set in mind: the barn. Somewhere deep in his twisted mind, this seemed like the perfect place to carry out his new plan. Initially, Philip had planned to take the Kiriakis jet as far away from Salem as possible with his Chloe. But now, that seemed hopeless. Brady's arrival proved that Philip's enemies would just keep coming, no matter how many of them he eliminated. Unless, of course, he was willing to take the most drastic of measures. While Chloe remained unconscious laying in a small pile of hay, Philip turned away to reload his gun.

"Only a few more hours, love. Not too long to wait," Philip said to the unconscious form of his one and only true love. He was blissfully unaware of the dark pair of eyes watching the barn from a distance, waiting to make it's move.

"Mmmmm," Chloe moaned, beginning to stir. Philip looked over his shoulder at her as she tried to move. Quite a difficult task when your hands are handcuffed behind your back and your feet are tied together. "Wha... where... oh God, my head," Chloe moaned. The fumes had given her a painfully splitting headache. It was hard to focus her eyes, especially in the dim lighting inside the barn. When she was able to focus on the figure in front of her, her eyes flashed with anger. "You! What the hell do you think you're doing?! Fucking untie me this instant!" Chloe screamed, which did nothing for her splitting headache. Philip shook his head, returning to his task.

"Now now, love, such dirty language for such an amazing woman. You my dear, aren't going anywhere," Philip stated. Chloe struggled futilely against her bindings, kicking up loose hay in the process.

"Philip Kiriakis, you let me go this instant, or I swear I'll..."

"You'll what Chloe? You are in no condition to make threats. And your precious Brady… he isn't coming to your rescue. I won't let him. No one is going to take you away from me Chloe. Not now and not ever!" Philip swore. His face softened slightly, putting his gun down on a large bail of hay and moving to Chloe's side. "I'm sorry I had to tie you up, baby. You left me no choice. I can't have you leaving before sun up," Philip said softly, reaching out to touch her cheek. Chloe jerked away as best she could, repulsed by his touch.

"What happens at sun up?" Chloe demanded, although deep down in the pit of her stomach, she knew she didn't want to know. Philip stood, obviously pissed that she rejected his touch.

"Recognize your surroundings love?"

"Stop calling me love," Chloe snapped. Indeed, once she was able to focus on her surroundings, she immediately recognized the barn. "Yes, it's the barn. So?"

"So?!" Philip boomed, turning around to glare at her. He shook it off quickly; it wouldn't be long before they could spend eternity together. "This is where we almost became one, Chloe. Fate wasn't on our side then, but it is now. I've handled everything. Tonight, we become one for the rest of eternity." Chloe's eyes widened in horror.

"Philip, no, you don't mean..."

"Oh, no Chloe my love. The physical bonding means nothing to me compared to what I believe our destiny to be. We're not going to be together in just body Chloe, but spirit," Philip stated. It was then Philip turned to face her again, gun in hand, and his full intent hit Chloe like a ton of bricks.

"Oh, Philip, no... please, stop this. You can't..."

"Shhh," Philip cooed, placing a finger over her lips. "No more talking. As soon as the sun rises, they will be no need for talk. Just a few hours, baby. Then we'll be together, forever." Philip stated. Chloe's eyes flashed with anger again, and rather then responding, she bit down hard on the finger that he'd dared get close to her lips. Philip pulled back, cursing loudly. "Bitch!" Philip swore, backhanding Chloe across the face. Chloe fell helplessly back onto the hay pile as Philip grabbed her, getting on top of her. "For that, love, I may just take back my promise of only connecting us in spirit!" Philip spat, bending down and catching her mouth hungrily in his. Chloe struggled, too terrified to even scream for she knew it would do no good. Her hands and feet were bound, she could do nothing to stop him. But, perhaps fate really WAS on her side. Then again... what came next might possibly have been the only thing worse.

"You might wish to reconsider that decision, young Kiriakis," came a deep male voice. Philip shot up off of Chloe, aiming the gun at the intruder. He'd expected Brady, but both he and Chloe were stunned speechless at the man that stood before them: Stefano DiMera...

Brady grabbed his cell phone off the dash board on the first ring, hoping beyond hope it was news of Chloe's whereabouts. After finding Chloe's lost bear, he tore out of the Wesley home, speeding off in his jeep after Philip and his Diva. He never caught up to them. Philip had too much of a head start, and obviously was very aware of his nephew's presence. After losing hope of catching up to them, Brady decided he'd have to get to wherever it was they were going first. He tried the air strip where he knew the Kiriakis jet was kept, but no one had seen Philip and the jet was there where it should be. Roman set up high security at the airport while Brady and John continued separate searches. John tried Kate's apartment while Brady tried Titan, and every place he could think of in his crazed state.

"Hello?" Brady asked hopefully.

"Any luck son?" It was John.

"No, Dad, no luck. Nothing with you?"

"No, Brady, no leads on Chloe's whereabouts. But..."

"But what?"

"Well, we have another big problem on our hands."

"Look Dad, it if doesn't have to do with finding Chloe..."

"It might son. No one else would believe so, but it just might. Stefano DiMera has been spotted back in Salem," John said. Brady nearly ran right into the stop sign he was coming to.

"That bastard's back, tonight of all nights?!" Brady demanded. If the despicable man had anything to do with Chloe's kidnaping, Brady swore then and there he'd tear him apart with his bear hands.

"Yes Brady, he was spotted earlier at the scene on the bridge. No one really took notice of him in the panic, but Hope just informed me she believed she caught sight of him. It's far fetched, but DiMera's arrival now can not be a coincidence

"I think you're right, Dad. I don't know what he has planned, but if he comes anywhere near Chloe..."

"I know son. Listen, I'm at the police station now. Roman has called out a search for Philip and Chloe, but there hasn't been any leads so far. Maybe you should come here, let us fill you in on what little we know in person."

"No, Dad, I can't stop searching. Philip couldn't have gotten her out of Salem. Where would he go? The Kiriakis jet is still at the airport, so he HAS to be somewhere in Salem. I'm going to find him, and DiMera if he's in on this. I can't let Chloe down Dad, I HAVE to find her, before... before..." Brady couldn't even bring himself to consider what his uncle had in store for Chloe. The thoughts made him sick to his stomach.

"Alright son, keep in touch. But Brady... don't do anything stupid. If you locate her, you call ME first. I know you'll use your best judgment if Chloe's in danger, but I don't want you going into a dangerous situation with an armed, crazy person. You could get both you and Chloe killed. Be careful son. I believe in you, but don't do anything rash. I'll meet you at the Penthouse in one hour, then we can continue to look together."

"Alright, Dad, got it. One hour," Brady said. He hesitated a moment, pulling away from the stop sign. "Dad?"

"Yes son?"

"I love you. Don't forget to tell Belle that for me to, and assure her I'll get Chloe back safely. I swear it Dad, I'll make sure Chloe returns home safe," Brady vowed, hanging up his cell phone. _Even if I don't._ Brady thought to himself. John sighed, putting down the phone in Roman's office.

"But will you get home safe, son?" John asked silently to himself. Brady tossed his cell phone into the passenger seat, catching sight of Chloe's bear as he rounded the curve and started off towards his next destination.

"I will find you Chloe. And I swear to God if that bastard so much as touches you, I'll kill him," Brady swore, not allowing the tears of utter despair to fall. He couldn't lose Chloe, not now that he'd just begun to find her...

Stefano stepped forward into the circle of light created by the lantern, ever conscious of the gun which was now pointed on him.

"Unless you want to be full of bullet holes, you'll turn around and get the hell out of my sight, DiMera," Philip spat. Stefano waved him off, showing he was unafraid.

"I have not come here to threaten you, my boy. I've actually been following you these past few weeks. I must say, although you are no miracle worker, you're quite commendable my boy," Stefano commented. Philip raised an eyebrow, leveling the gun slightly in his hands.

"Watching me?" Philip questioned. Stefano nodded.

"Yes, I returned to Salem weeks ago actually. It was only tonight that I may have allowed myself to be seen," Stefano answered, meaning he believed Hope may have spotted him at the bridge. Damn that meddlesome woman anyway. "I wish to congratulate you on whatever it is you hope you are accomplishing. Where I won't commend the means, I must say, you do have a certain knack for this sort of thing."

"What do you want, man, can't ya see I'm busy?" Philip demanded, indicating Chloe behind him. Stefano glanced down at the frightened young woman with the amazing voice who was far too stunned and afraid to speak at this point.

"Yes, I can see that. But I believe that this little scene you've created is not what you really want with your life," Stefano stated. It was obvious to him the boy's intent; hell, he'd just taken out half of Salem's elite population, why the hell wouldn't he take himself and his beloved out of the picture? And Stefano's instincts were always right. Come sun up, that's exactly what Philip wished to do; see to it he and Chloe spend the rest of eternity in each others arms.

"You don't know what I want with my life!" Philip spat angrily, crossing closer to DiMera in a threatening stance. DiMera didn't move a muscle.

"Ah but I do, my boy. You see, Stefano DiMera's instincts never lead him wrong. And my guess is, that you will do everything in your power to ensure your "destiny" with Ms. Lane, including taking you both out of the picture, am I correct?" Stefano questioned. Philip hesitated, unsure of what Stefano's presence could possibly mean. "I see from your lack of an answer, I am indeed correct. And let me tell you something, Young Kiriakis, that is most definitely not the answer. What good will being in the arms of a woman such as Ms. Lane forever do you if you're too dead to enjoy it?"

"There's no other way," Philip murmured, a hint of sorrow in his voice as he dropped the gun to his side. "They just keep coming. I tried so hard to make them stop, to make them see I belong with Chloe, but they just won't quit. This... this is the only way."

"That's where you are wrong, Young Kiriakis. I've come to offer you a much better solution," Stefano stated.

"What do you mean? What could you possibly offer that I'd want," Philip asked. Chloe watched on in complete awe; this could not be happening. It all had to be a dream, an extremely horrid dream. Stefano smirked, stepping calmly forward to retrieve the gun from Philip's loose grasp.

"Freedom, my boy. Freedom from all the opposing forces of Salem. I wish to take you, and Ms. Lane, back with me to Europe, and then on to Ireland. Make you a true DiMera. And as you know Philip, no one beats a true DiMera. We always win," Stefano guaranteed. Philip did not attempt to retrieve his gun from Stefano, allowing this offer to process in his demented mind. He looked over his shoulder at Chloe.

"You would take us both with you? Why?"

"Because I see much talent in you. Both of you," Stefano answered. It wouldn't be long before he would reveal his real reasons for offering Philip such a deal. Useful as Philip might prove to be, Stefano DiMera never went after what seemed most obvious.

"Both of us? What would _YOU_ want with an opera singer?" Philip questioned skeptically.

"All in due time, my boy, all in due time. Now, Young Kiriakis, we must be on our way. As you well know, Brady Black will not stop until he finds you. And believe me, if he has half his father's instincts, he will. It isn't a hard decision, my boy. Take my offer, and live out your full life with the woman you love. Deny me, and you can continue on with your fool-hardy suicide pact," Stefano said. Chloe finally snapped back to reality, trying desperately to be freed of her bindings. She couldn't decide if she should be relieved Stefano had stopped Philip, or if she should curse his very name for appearing. It was like jumping from the frying pan and into the fire. Philip hesitated, weighing the pros and cons. Did he really want to die in Chloe's arms, or did he want to take the chance that they'd live out their lives together? Oh hell no. He might be buck-shagging, out of his gourd crazy. But he wasn't stupid. Philip nodded, grabbing Chloe's duffel bag.

"Alright DiMera, we'll come with you. But only if you start explaining a few things to me. I want to know just what's in it for you," Philip stated. With his free hand, he grabbed Chloe's cuffed hands behind her back, pulling her gently but firmly up as she protested.

"Get your disgusting hands off me!" Chloe screamed. God how she wished her hands were free so she could scratch his eyes out! Stefano grinned. He could tell from day one the girl had a fire unmatched by anyone he'd ever seen before. Well... anyone save for one.

"Come now my dear, nothing to worry about now. You both are under my care now. Philip, you do have the keys to those don't you? We'll keep them on, just until we get to my private jet outside of town. Wouldn't want our beloved Opera star to leave before the real fun begins, now would we?" Stefano commented. Chloe glared at him as Philip lead her out of the barn after Stefano. A limousine was waiting for them when they emerged out into the darkness. Rolf, who had been waiting as patiently as possible while listening to Bart's incessant jabbering, stepped out, opening the door for Philip and Chloe. Philip tossed Chloe's duffel bag in first, ushering the loudly protesting Chloe Lane in before he got in beside her. Before Stefano seated himself into his limo, he hid his grin of utter triumph. He and Rolf got in, Rolf instructing Bart to take them to Stefano's private air strip far out of the limits of the city of Salem. Just as they pulled out of sight from the barn, a black Jeep pulled up where the limo had once occupied, a tall blond man stepping out and following his heart inside the barn...


	10. Chapter 10: Family Ties

Chapter 10: Family Ties

Brady breezed quickly passed the officers milling about the Salem P.D. and went straight to Roman's office, bursting through the door without bothering to knock. He clutched the delicate item in his hands tightly, eyes ablaze with burning fury as he approached his father.

"Son! What is it, what happened?" John inquired, quickly noting the pure anguish Brady made no effort to hide.

"Look," Brady said, pushing the small silvery item into John's hands. John surveyed the charm bracelet, brow knitted in deep concentration. Hadn't he seen it somewhere before? "It's Chloe's," Brady answered as if reading his father's mind. John nodded, recognizing the bracelet as one given to Chloe by Belle just recently. Belle had mentioned a few times that since she gave Chloe her bracelet, she hadn't taken it off, even in sleep. Roman stepped forward, reaching for the delicate jewelry.

"Where did you find this Brady?" Roman demanded.

"The barn. I don't know how I ended up there, but when I got there, I found a still lit lantern, a blanket, and this bracelet. I _know_ Philip and Chloe were there, but... I must have just missed them," Brady answered, obviously disgusted at himself for not finding the place sooner. John nodded, coming to his own silent conclusion: Brady had been led to the barn by his strong connection to Chloe. "I found fresh tire tracks, but they couldn't possibly have belonged to Philip's car. They led away from the barn, back into the woods, but Philip's car was still parked outside. I've spent the last 2 hours following the tracks, but... well, I quickly came to a fork in the road. One way I knew lead back to Salem, so I went straight. Unfortunately, it circled around and lead me back to Salem as well."

"Where did going the other route take you?" Roman asked.

"A private airport," Brady replied through clenched teeth. As much as he would have liked to say it wouldn't have mattered if he'd taken that road first or not, Brady felt completely responsible now for Chloe's disappearance because he didn't take the right road. He should have stopped thinking with his head and let his heart lead him to her! John let out a deep sigh, keeping his own rising anger in check.

"DiMera," John stated. Brady balled his fists tightly, slumping down in a chair against the wall.

"I failed her, Dad. I didn't get to her in time. I was too late. The airport was completely deserted, there wasn't a person, or a plane in sight. If only I had gotten there sooner..." Brady said, sounding more helpless and lost then John had ever seen him before.

"Brady, it's not your..."

"Why, Dad? Why did this have to happen? What would that... what would DiMera want with Chloe?"

"I don't know son, I just don't know," John answered in morbid honesty. John Black was perhaps the one man that could read DiMera's every move better then anyone else who'd had the misfortune of crossing paths with the infamous man. But even John couldn't understand what DiMera would want with Philip and Chloe. He was almost certain Stefano had nothing to do with Philip's killing spree. DiMera took more pleasure in torturing the people of Salem then he did in seeing them killed. But there had to be something he was missing...

"Brady, we need to get to that airport. Maybe there's someone there, or a clue as to where they're going," Roman stated, picking up his keys. Brady stood, his expression grim and void of all hope.

"I'll take you there, but it won't do any good. DiMera's no fool, he wouldn't leave anyone there. Or even if he did, they wouldn't talk," Brady stated sadly. John put a comforting hand on his son's shoulder, wishing there was something, anything he could do to keep his already emotionally scared son from suffering because of Stefano DiMera.

"We have to try, son, we have to try." Brady nodded, following his father, Roman, and Bo out the door. For Chloe, he'd follow ever single lead to the ends of the earth...

Chloe gazed longingly out the window of Stefano's private jet unable to stand another moment more of watching Philip sleep. Philip lay curled up on the plush leather couch, sleeping as soundly as a baby, a peaceful, calm expression on his boyish face. The mere sight made Chloe's skin crawl. After all Philip had done, not to mention what he had planned to do to her, it wasn't right for him to be so serene and so... at peace! Philip deserved to be tormented for the pain he had caused the people he once claimed to care for. Despite all he'd done, Philip had fallen asleep almost immediately after they arrived. Stefano had taken the key to the handcuffs from him, freeing Chloe from her bindings after they had taken off with a promise to explain everything in the morning before he retreated to the front of the jet, leaving Chloe alone with a burning desire to seek out a pillow and smother Philip in his unrightfully peaceful sleep.

"It baffles you doesn't it?" The question caught Chloe so off guard she literally jumped, whipping around to face the entrance to the front of the jet. "How on earth can that young boy sleep so peacefully and at ease after all he's done? Isn't that what you're thinking of my dear?"

"The mere thought disgusts me," Chloe answered coldly. Stefano was once a man she held in high respect for his appreciation of classical music and opera. She found it so hard to believe that this man could truly be as evil as she had heard, until she saw for herself the devastating repercussions of Stefano's devious actions on the people Chloe cared for. Hope Brady, a woman Chloe truly admired for her amazing strength, had suffered so much because of the man who stood before her. Stefano grinned, walking up to the blissfully sleeping Philip.

"Quite astounding, isn't it Ms. Lane? Little Kiriakis here has been reeking divine havoc on the citizens of Salem for weeks now, and yet he feels no remorse what so ever for any of it! He'll make a fine addition to my family," Stefano stated, an underlying note of sarcasm lacing his regal voice that few would have caught. Chloe picked up on it quickly, for reasons she couldn't quite wrap her mind around, setting up a little straighter as a sudden feeling of apprehension washed over her.

"You didn't come back to Salem because of Philip." It was a statement, not a question. Stefano laughed, quite pleased with her statement.

"Very observant my dear. Very observant indeed. Of course I would not make such a secretive return for a common psychotic such as young Philip. No, no, I came for a much more valuable prize. Philip just made my goal much easier to obtain," Stefano stated.

"But... if you didn't want him..." Chloe started, rather dreading the answers she was demanding.

"Perhaps I will tell you the whole story tonight. I had wished to let you rest up before I revealed the true motives behind my return, but you do not look as if you could rest any tonight, what with all you've been through."

"Don't play games with me, Stefano. I don't like lies, and I do not appreciate being played for a fool," Chloe stated dryly, glaring at Stefano as he seated himself on the couch at Philip's feet. Philip remained undisturbed as Stefano chuckled, obviously enjoying his little game.

"Ah, so brave and honest young one. So like your mother when she was not much older then you are now," Stefano said, silently calculating Chloe's reaction. Chloe looked stunned, staring at the man before her in utter disbelief.

"What... what do you know about my mother" Chloe asked quietly.

"Quite a charming girl, that Nancy. A true gem. True, she had a very unruly and unpredictable father, but I would imagine your mother takes more after her own mother," Stefano replied. Chloe shook off her growing dread, hiding her true fear behind a cold glare.

"Can we get to the point?"

"Ah ha, just as impatient as she was!" Stefano chuckled. He then became very serious, leaning forward in his seat a bit. "As you wish, my dear. Let me start from the beginning. You see, many years ago, I teamed up with a rather tenacious but brilliant man for a business transaction. The man was in a bind. Legal matters I need not discuss. All you need to know is, I was in very close relations with his father before him, who was also a great businessman, and I felt that I owed it to him to help his son with his burdens," Stefano said. "But, back to the point at hand. You see, this associate of mine had a lovely young daughter, not much older then yourself. It was in the best interest of my current campaign that I should have a child with this woman. You needn't know why, you'll learn all that in due time. As it turned out, this delightful young woman, whom I've heard was none to pleased with her father's decisions, gave birth to two beautiful girls. Identical twin babies, can you imagine! As you can surely tell, I was delighted. But you see, the girl's father would only allow me to take one daughter with me. Our deal was after all one child. If I had known that the mother would put the other twin up for adoption, I would have insisted I take both with me. But, Stefano DiMera always keeps his word. I had no choice but to separate my beautiful twin daughters, taking the first born with me to be raised in Europe. She was my shining star, a way for me to make up for all the time lost with my other children. But, I've always felt a longing for the daughter I was forced to leave behind, who was never allowed to embrace me as her father," Stefano paused dramatically, building suspense and letting everything slowly sink in.

"So, as a DiMera always does, I took action. It took me quite some time to find my precious long lost daughter. Had she not returned to her birth mother not 2 years ago, I may have never found her. Those social workers can be quite unscrupulous. Ah, but when I heard her voice, so equally moving as that of her twin, I knew. I knew I had found her. She would hide her stunning looks which perfectly matched her sister's behind hideously large clothing. But you can't fool Stefano DiMera. The moment I heard her sing a piece of my favorite opera, she confirmed what I already knew in my heart to be true," Stefano again paused, a gleam in his eyes as Chloe's cold stare gave way to dawning horror. Stefano stood, walking slowly over to the dark red curtains separating the lush compartments of his jet. "Unfortunately my dear, due to pressing matters at the time, I was unable to concentrate on my estranged daughter. Family matters, and times of crisis and all that. But now, I'm finally able to reunite my twin daughters and bring them both in under my care. Would you like to know their identities?" Stefano asked coyly, knowing he'd draw back the curtain no matter Chloe's answer. When Chloe refused to answer, Stefano took it upon himself to reveal his little surprise. "Victoria my dear, would you come here?" Stefano called into the next compartment, stepping to the side and holding the curtain open with one hand. Promptly, a young dark haired woman stood up from her seat and gracefully walked to the open curtain. Victoria stood in the doorway, her long dark wavy hair flowing gracefully over her shoulder. She was dressed in black leather pants and a black full-lengthed shirt, her ensemble fitting snugly to show off every luscious curve of her body. Chloe took no note of any of this. To Chloe, it was like looking in a mirror. From her height, to her stunning hair, to the tip of her toes, Victoria was an exact replica of Chloe. The only difference, aside from their current clothing of choice, was the way Victoria held herself with such dignity. But upon further study, Chloe noted the biggest difference of all: her eyes. Though they were the same gorgeous color, Victoria's eyes held no liveliness. They were dull, clouding what might have been the only window to the soul that lay within the stunning body. To anyone else, she would appear to be utterly bored with life. But even in her shock, Chloe, and Chloe alone, could see through those dull eyes to reveal what they really held; a deep pain that no one that young an age should ever have to deal with. "Chloe, I'd like you to met your twin sister, Victoria DiMera," Stefano said bluntly, allowing the curtain to fall back in to place while he stepped up behind his daughter, placing his hands proudly on her shoulders. Victoria smiled fondly at her twin sister, although the simple smile sent many mixed emotion.

"You... You're my..." Chloe attempted to question Stefano.

"Your father, Chloe dear. I am your father," Stefano finished. At this point, Victoria stepped forward towards her sister, the fond smile being left behind to reveal a very emotionless expression on her lovely face.

"I'm honored to finally meet you. I've missed you, sister," Victoria said sincerely. She knew from the moment she was born that she was a twin, that half of her felt as if it were missing the moment she left her sister's side. Their father had never made any effort to try to deny her suspicions that she was in fact a twin. Victoria had spent her whole life ignoring the longing to be whole again, ignoring the empty feeling inside the life she had been dealt with gave her. Chloe shuddered, both at the sincere, yet cold tone, and at the fact that Victoria not only looked exactly like her, but sounded like her as well.

"We both have, my dear daughter. But now, we wish to welcome you into the DiMera family. We wish to make you the true DiMera you were born to be," Stefano said. Chloe turned away, looking out the window of the jet again.

"I will never be a DiMera," Chloe said firmly, yet hesitantly. Victoria drew back slightly, not allowing any emotion to cross her face. After all, that was what she had been raised to do. Either don't feel, or hide it well so no one can use it against you. Stefano nodded as if he'd expected such a reply.

"You were a DiMera from the moment you took your first breathe. You will learn to except me as your father. Believe me, you will learn," Stefano stated. He motioned for Victoria to step back, gesturing for her to follow him. "Come Victoria, young Philip will wake soon. Your sister shall have enough company with him until we reach our new home," Stefano said before disappearing behind the curtain. But Victoria stayed, kneeling down beside Chloe, who was turned with her back facing her.

"It's not so bad," Victoria said softly, perhaps showing the first true emotion since Stefano had revealed her to Chloe. Chloe turned slowly to face her sister, tears streaming down her flushed cheeks. "I don't know you very well yet, but I want to. I've waited my whole life to be reunited with you, my other half so to speak. But... Father is going to be in your life as well, weather you except him or not. Please, please don't fight him Chloe. There is nothing he won't do for his family, but he'll make your life a living hell if you defy him," Victoria stated. She reached up, gently wiping the tear tracks from her twin's face with her thumb before she stood, the cold expression she had been raised to show at all times returning to mask her true feelings. "You are strong, dear sister. I can already tell that much. My whole life, I've felt your presence even though we've never met. And I knew. I knew what strength you had. But not even the two of us combined could take on Stefano and come out without paying the ultimate price. Protect yourself, sister. You have so much left to lose," Victoria stated, before she too disappeared behind the curtain. Chloe watched her go, processing her sister's words. Indeed, Chloe had much more to lose then her sister did now... the very light that still shone so brightly in her eyes...

Nancy trailed her finger lightly along the bandage on Craig's forehead. Similar bandages circled his waist. The bookcase had caused mostly bruising, but also two broken ribs.

"Oh, Craig!" Nancy wailed. She'd been crying non stop since she woke up in the hospital, crying out and demanding to see her daughter. It was just now sinking in that Chloe wasn't coming back. Craig tenderly wrapped his arm around Nancy's shoulder, wincing slightly as pain shot throughout his entire body. He had insisted that he was fine, saying that his place was at the police department, helping in any way he could to find Chloe. Truth was, his whole body was on fire from the pain, and he'd long since vowed to make Philip feel 100 times worse as soon as he found him.

"I know sweetie, I know," Craig soothed. It was then he noticed Roman, followed by Bo, John, and then Brady. As Brady passed their seats, Craig stood, taking him by the shoulders to stop him. "Brady, what's going on?" Craig demanded. Brady shook his head, disengaging himself from Craig's grasp.

"Not now Dr. Wesley, we need to get back to the airport."

"Airport? But the Kiriakis jet has been secured!" Nancy exclaimed.

"Not the Kiriakis jet," Brady said hesitantly. "We're... we're looking for DiMera now, he's been spotted in Salem," Brady finished. Nancy blanched, growing white as a sheet. Brady was about to question her on it when John called to him

"Brady, come on. Let's go!" John called.

"I'll find her, I swear it," Brady promised before quickly retreating. Nancy sank back down into her seat, burying her head in her hands.

"Nancy?" Craig questioned worriedly.

"He's come for her Craig! He's finally come back to take her from me too!" Nancy wailed. Craig painfully kneeled in front of her, taking her hands to comfort his wife.

"Who's come for who Nancy?" Craig asked calmly.

"Chloe! He's come for Chloe!" Nancy cried, burying her face in Craig's chest.

"Who? Nancy, do you know if someone is helping Philip? Is it Chloe's father?" Craig demanded, no longer so calm. Nancy nodded weakly. "Nancy, Nancy look at me." Craig said, forcing his sobbing wife to look at him. "Who is Chloe's father Nancy? Maybe we can find Chloe if we know. Who is he Nancy?"

"Stefano DiMera," Nancy whispered. Craig grew almost as pale as his tearful wife as Nancy began to quickly tell him relatively the same story as Stefano had told Chloe, only from her troubled point of view...


	11. Chapter 11: Broken Identities

1Chapter 11: Broken Identities

Brady flopped down hopelessly in the all to familiar chair in Roman's office. The search of the airport proved useless. The only thing that was accomplished was wasting more time. It would be dawn soon, and still no sign Chloe, Philip, or DiMera, nor any clue as to their whereabouts. They had spotted one person at the airport, but were unable to catch him before he made a quick escape. To Brady, it meant the ultimate defeat. His Diva was gone, only God knows where with an extremely disturbed Philip, and possibly Stefano DiMera. And now there wasn't a damn thing he could do about it! John himself had stated that, if Stefano did indeed have Chloe, Chloe wouldn't be found until he wanted her to be discovered. Hearing his father admit that fact had been a final blow for Brady. And Brady didn't even have the satisfaction of knowing WHY! Of course it was obvious why Philip would take Chloe. He'd only been obsessing about her for the past two years. But why would DiMera want Chloe Lane?

"Why? Damn you DiMera, why?!" Brady yelled. No one was in the office with him at the moment, or so he thought. John, Roman, and the others were discussing what to do outside. Brady believed his question would go unanswered, but Nancy had other plans.

"Brady," Nancy called his name softly, having finally stopped her tears enough to speak. Brady's head shot up, looking in surprise at Chloe's mother. Craig stood behind her, shutting the door for more privacy. Nancy sat down in a similar chair next to Brady, catching the look of pure pain on Brady's face before he was able to hide it. "I... I think I may know why Stefano would want to take Chloe." Nancy said, almost in near whisper. Brady's eyes widened in shock.

"You what? Mrs. Wesley, what are you talking about?!" Brady demanded, a little more sharply then intended. Craig stood beside her, resting a reassuring hand on his wife's shoulder.

"Well, I um... I never wanted to tell anyone this... but... well..." Nancy started, fighting back tears. Brady calmed himself enough to reach over, taking Mrs. Wesley's hand to reassure her he wouldn't be angry.

"Mrs. Wesley, please, whatever it is... please, tell me," Brady said as calmly as he could manage. Nancy chocked back a sob, nodding slightly.

"Alright, I'm sorry, I just... it's hard to deal with and..."

"Mrs. Wesley, I don't mean to sound impatient here... but please, get to the point? If it has to do with Chloe, please, tell me, now."

"I... I know why Stefano would want to take my Chloe. He... he's her father," Nancy whispered. Brady did a double take, hoping beyond hope he heard her wrong.

"What?! Stefano DiMera... that... that man is Chloe's father?!" Brady couldn't help losing his temper. It would make perfect sense, but Brady didn't want to believe such a thing about his Diva. Being fathered by the likes of Stefano DiMera meant that he could always have a hold on you. It was like a death sentence. No matter how strong you were, there was no denying blood.

"Brady, calm down. We're all upset, and it's very hard for Nancy to talk about it," Craig stated, always the voice of reason, despite his own anger, disgust, and worry. Brady took a deep breathe, calming himself as best he could.

"Alright. I'm calm. Now, tell me everything. And I mean, everything. If he has Chloe, and if Chloe's his daughter..." Brady couldn't even finish. Nancy buried her face in her hands, breaking down into tears again.

"I'm so sorry! It's all my fault! If only I had told Chloe about her father... Oh God, and she's with that demented monster Philip too! God, it's all my fault!" Nancy wailed. Brady crouched down in front of her, seeing he wouldn't get any explanations if he couldn't keep his own anger in check and calm Mrs. Wesley.

"Mrs. Wesley, please, there's no time for pointing fingers. What's done is done, but maybe you can help bring Chloe back to us. Please, tell me everything. Everything you know, no matter how insignificant, and start from the beginning," Brady pleaded. Nancy took a moment to calm herself, pulling herself together for Chloe's sake.

"The beginning. Right. Well... there's... there's not a whole lot to tell. I don't... I don't know a whole lot about any of it. My father... he... he made me... he said it was part of an important business deal, said I had to have a child and then give it away to the business associate who was to be the baby's father. I... I didn't want to, but he made me, said I had to do it... and I... I'm so ashamed, I should have fought him... but I went along with it," Nancy rambled. Brady nodded, beginning to understand at least to some extent.

"And Stefano was that business associate?"

"Yes. He... uh... I... I did get pregnant... and I had twins..."

"Twins?!" Brady was thrown into a new level of shock, but this little surprise really shouldn't have shocked him. It's Salem, a little town full of lies, deceit, and secrets. Nancy nodded solemnly.

"Yes, twins. Chloe of course, and then Aida. My father's deal was that Stefano would take one child. He choose Aida. Then my father made me put Chloe up for adoption. I... I never wanted to give either of them up! Oh, my precious Aida... she's had to live with that awful man her whole life! I can only imagine what kind of person Stefano has made her! And now, he has Chloe too!" Nancy wailed.

"Mrs. Wesley, do you know where Stefano took Aida when he left? Maybe that's where he has Chloe now." Brady inquired. Nancy shook her head.

"No, I have no clue. He just took her and left. I didn't even... I didn't even get to see her to say goodbye! He just took her... he just took my baby away from me," Nancy repeated, obviously shaken. Brady, unable to give the woman the emotional support he knew only perhaps Craig could give, nodded and stood, taking out the keys to his jeep.

"I need to find Nancy's father, he may know where Stefano took Aida. I'll bet that, if we find out where he took her, we'll find out where he's taken Chloe," Brady said to Craig. Craig nodded, grabbing a pen and paper pad from Roman's desk and writing the address down for Brady.

"He lives about an hour or so out of town. Here's the address, and some directions. Do you want me to show you there, or..."

"No, I can make it. You stay here, help Mrs. Wesley. And explain to my dad and Roman what you just told me and where I'm going," Brady interrupted. Craig nodded, handing Brady the slip of paper. Brady took it and headed for the door. He paused, placing a hand on Nancy's shaking shoulder.

"I made you a promise I'd bring her back to you. Brady Black always keeps his promises," Brady said quietly before leaving the room. He brushed passed his father, who demanded to know what was going on and what Nancy and Craig had just told him. Brady merely called out to his father to talk to the Wesley's before disappearing out to his jeep. He would keep his promise to Mrs. Wesley. And God help the fool who tried to stop him from retrieving not only his Diva, but Nancy's lost daughter, Aida...

Victoria watched wordlessly as a once again handcuffed Chloe and a sickeningly bright and cheery Philip were lead into the elevator. After their plane arrived, and Chloe had been handcuffed again, all of the party, including Lexie, who was all too pleased to flee the country with her beloved father, had been ushered into yet another limousine, with Bart as the driver once again. All were in the limo for another two hours as Bart drove deep into the Von Amburg estate in Europe, taking them all to an extraordinarily large mansion. But it was not the mansion that was Stefano's destination, but the secret catacombs that lay deep beneath the grounds, concealing yet another laboratory for Stefano's evil plans. It was in this mansion and the catacombs below that Victoria had been raised and trained, brought up to be the next Gina Von Amburg in Stefano's art thefts, and many such related endeavors. Victoria, unlike Gina, had to work her way into the elite circles of Europe. She didn't have the title of Princess, but she held the DiMera name, and wore it well enough to be immediately excepted. Victoria eyed Philip wearily. She already despised him, no matter how pleased her father would be to have him in on his plans. He was utterly useless, Victoria could sense that much. Philip was no more then a common psychopath. Such a ruthless, emotionless killer wasn't of any use, not even to Stefano DiMera. Such creature's could rarely, if ever, be controlled. She felt very apprehensive about all this. Chloe wouldn't so much as look at any of them. She kept her eyes trained on the floor and merely allowed Rolf to lead her around roughly by the arm.

"Father, those handcuffs are not necessary," Victoria stated. Stefano pressed the button to close the elevator doors and started them on their way down.

"I will tell you what is necessary and what is not, daughter," Stefano said firmly. Victoria nodded, knowing it was useless. She knew her father best of all those whose lives had been effected by DiMera. It was the undeniable truth when Stefano called her his "Shining Star." Victoria was raised hearing all of Stefano's plans, hell even giving encouragement or advice. Victoria felt more and more self loathing each day, all of her life, as she grew to know what was right and what wasn't. And Stefano DiMera was definitely not a good man. Good to his children, in a twisted sense, perhaps. It disgusted Victoria that she had become no better then her half sister Alexandra, becoming a pawn in Stefano's games. But for Victoria, there was no way out. She was bound to Stefano, in a way none of his other children had been before her. Victoria sneered at Philip as the idiot began whistling in his obvious boredom. But as was the usual case, Philip remained blissfully unaware of the hatred radiating off Victoria. Upon reaching the catacombs, Rolf immediately dragged a no longer protesting Chloe out of the elevator, motioning for Philip to follow him. Victoria grabbed Rolf's arm, instantly recognizing his destination.

"Father, no. You promised!" Victoria protested. Rolf shook Victoria's grasp off. He never did like the girl; far too independent to be useful to the DiMera organization. She showed a "loyal" face. But underneath her so called affection for her father, Rolf always believed there was a snake, lying in wait to bite the hand that had given it life.

"I made no such promise, daughter. I will do what needs be done. Rolf, you know what I want you to do," Stefano said. Rolf nodded, leading a blissfully unaware Philip and a sadly resigned Chloe off and away from Victoria. Victoria spun to face her father as the elevator closed and Lexie stepped up to stand beside Stefano.

"Father, you can't! What good will it do you to have a daughter if you have to force her to accept you!" Victoria demanded. Stefano merely smiled at her outburst, waving off her anger.

"Your sister is not like you, my dear. She was not raised with your instincts, not taught all you know. I shall have to remedy that the only way I know how. I shall have my family standing tall beside me. No one will keep me from that goal," Stefano said challengingly. Victoria looked over her shoulder, gazing sadly in the direction Rolf had taken her estranged sister. "You do want her in your life, do you not?"

"Of course, father! I've waited my whole life to find her!" Victoria answered, turning to face her father again.

"Then you must know, my dear sister, that Chloe will never accept you as she is now. She'll turn away from you. She's already shown you that. No matter how pure your intentions, how deep your love for her... Chloe Lane could never have love in her heart for Victoria DiMera. Don't think I didn't notice you trying to get her attention. To her now, you're just a monster. Don't question our father's judgment, Victoria. He knows best. He takes care of us," Lexie stated proudly. Stefano smiled approvingly, placing his hands on Victoria's shoulders.

"Yes, my precious daughter. I take care of all our family. Your needs are the most important to me," Stefano stated, sealing the deal. Victoria would cave, as she always did. She nodded, defeated. "Now then. Take this. _Elizabeth_ won't be needing these things any longer," Stefano stressed the name Elizabeth, holding out Chloe's duffel bag. Victoria got his meaning instantly, but rather then letting her obvious turmoil show, she took the bag and departed to her own room within the underground laboratory, leaving a victorious Stefano to bask in all his glory with his most devoted and clueless daughter.

Victoria silently made her way passed a few men in white lab coats down many equally white hallways to her room, locking the door behind her. She placed Chloe's duffel bag down on her bed, sitting beside it and pulling down this zipper to exam the last ruminants of Chloe Lane. Mostly, all that was to be found were clothes, obviously shoved into the bag in a hurry. She did come across a framed picture which Philip had intentionally put in among Chloe's things. Victoria tossed it aside in disgust, surveying the picture of her twin sister in a sexy red dress with Philip's arms wrapped around her. Then she came across another small photo album, which Philip had thrown in accidentally in his haste because it had been hidden under some "unmentionables." A smile graced Victoria's perfect lips as she held the little photo album in her hands. The frame around it was silver, little circles imprinted in the design. The picture displayed in front was of Chloe, and a perky blond, Belle Black, their arms wrapped around each others necks in a friendly pose. Victoria wished she had such memories as high school dances, first dates, kisses, and hanging out with friends. But that had been, and perhaps always would be denied to her. All Victoria had ever known were Stefano's many "associates" and other assorted employees. And only two of those had meant anything to her. Though she had been allowed some very special memories with them, they were far from "normal," something she longed for.

Victoria sighed, opening the photo album to reveal the other photos inside. She found more of Chloe and Belle, and some of a handsome dark headed young man, Shawn Brady. The third photo caught Victoria's attention quickly. It had apparently been taken in a bowling alley, and displayed Chloe, a tall dark headed man, Craig Wesley, and a shorter, slightly plump woman, Nancy Wesley, on either side of her. Victoria trailed her finger along the shorter woman's face, knowing instantly she was her mother. Victoria had seen no pictures, heard no stories, hadn't even the name of her estranged mother, but she instantly knew when she saw the photo that this was most definitely her birth mother. Victoria turned the page quickly before a tear could escape down her cheek. Emotion was weak, or so her father taught her. The last few photos were of a tall, handsome blonde, Brady Black. She removed the last photo, taken at what appeared to be a beautiful gazebo, and turned it over, hoping for a name to identify the mystery man, who's eyes even in photograph could penetrate into your soul. None of the others had had any writing, but this one did. Written in black ink were the words "To the almighty Diva. One day, it will be me asking for YOUR autograph. Hope you remember me when your singing your heart out at the Met. Brady Black." Victoria found herself smiling, even laughing at the words written by Brady.

"That's rather rich, dear sister. A Black, wouldn't father be so pleased," Victoria said aloud to herself. Actually, Victoria herself was very pleased. Even though her own painful fate was sealed, perhaps Brady Black would be the key to assuring Chloe's protection against Stefano DiMera. Victoria replaced the picture into the album, closing it and laying it down on her beside table. She searched through the blue duffel bag again, looking for anything else of any significance before she took it to her closet, tossing it into the back. She then retrieved the photo album, taking it with her through the bathroom and into what was used as her training room. She went to a trunk where weapons only she was allowed to access were kept and opened it, lifting up the only gun not strapped down to reveal a tiny, barely visible tab. She pulled up the false bottom, all her items staying in place thanks to the wonderful invention of Velcro, and placed the photo album gently down among the only possessions Victoria would ever care about. A locket which she had been told was her mother's, a few letters from a childhood friend which she had been taken from as well, newspaper clippings of "normal" living, and of course, the most important item, next to her mother's locket. Her real birth certificate.

After placing the photo album down, Victoria gently removed the treasured birth certificate. Just as Chloe's photos were the last ruminants of her life as Chloe Lane, this little piece of paper was the only proof that Aida Kristen Miller had ever existed. That's who she really was, deep down and buried beneath the person which Stefano himself had molded since birth. But from the moment she arrived in Europe, Aida Kristen Miller was dead, and Victoria Amarice DiMera had taken her place. Victoria held the yellowing piece of paper close to her breast, finally allowing a tear to flow down, showing that the so called hardened DiMera wasn't emotionless at all.

"Why? Why did you give me up, mother?" Victoria whispered. She'd never known the whole truth. Stefano only told her what he wanted her to think. She never would believe that her mother would have willingly given her up to this hell. She couldn't. If she were to ever find out that her mother had in fact given her up willingly to this empty, cruel life, that just might break the last tie the troubled young woman had to her true identify of Aida Kristen Miller...


	12. Chapter 12: Unsuspected Contact

Chapter 12: Unsuspected Contact

(Quick A/N: I wrote this long before we actually saw Chloe celebrate a birthday. And I don't even remember what day that was, and I'm too lazy to look it up. I don't think this story has a "time line" per se to put it into a particular time, so when I say that it's Chloe's birthday... just go with it. Ok?

Brady pushed aside the file he was holding, frustration written all over his face. It had been three excruciatingly long months since Philip and Chloe had disappeared, and there hadn't been a single lead to speak of. It was discovered the morning after Chloe's kidnaping that Lexie had gone, sealing the truth that Stefano was behind the kidnaping. Nancy's father, Dr. Miller, hadn't been any help at all. All he would say was "my business deal with DiMera was one daughter; he didn't say where he'd take her, or what he wanted with her." Brady believed he was lying, but he couldn't press the matter. He'd gone back home, no closer to finding Chloe then he had been at the Wesley home. Since then, the little town of Salem had been picking up the pieces of their shattered existence, grieving for the losses caused by Philip Kiriakis.

Everyone was moving on as best they could. Everyone, except Brady. He refused to give up on the hope that Chloe would turn up. But as things got more and more hopeless, Brady buried himself deeper and deeper into working at Basic Black. He'd been using the merger of Basic Black and Titan, which was left to Brady now that Philip was obviously not an adequate successor, as a cover. John was perhaps the only one left in all of Salem besides Brady who still had hope that Chloe would be found. Belle wanted to believe she wouldn't lose another of her dearest friends, but each passing day looked more dismal then the last. But John and Brady kept up the search, following even the tiniest of clues.

Brady sighed, shaking off more thoughts of Chloe. He'd been thinking of her all day, despite the work that needed to be done on the Permalash account. Today was her birthday. Brady couldn't shake the thoughts of how perfect he wanted to make her birthday. The thought that he might never get to celebrate anything with his Diva again brought him down to new levels of depression. Sometimes, he found himself on the Wesley's doorstep, about to knock on the door and ask for Chloe. Other's, he would find himself at the gazebo, looking at his watch every few seconds as if he expected Chloe to show up there at any moment. Brady knew his whole family was starting to worry. But he would never open up to them, not even his father. It scared him, these moments when he truly thought she was only within a few blocks, waiting for him to rescue her from her boredom. But he dealt with it, vowing each time that he WOULD find Chloe and bring her back to Salem, where he could make those thoughts a reality.

But there was more bothering Brady this morning, keeping him from his work. He'd had another long conversation with Mrs. Wesley last night. The two talked a lot these days, each silently giving comfort to the other. Nancy would always ask what Chloe had told him about her childhood, what Chloe had said about Nancy to him. She even went so far as to ask how Brady felt about Chloe. He'd never answer that one, but they did talk for hours on occasion, telling tales of better days. But this morning, the topic had been about someone different: Aida. Brady could see how torn Nancy was about giving Aida to Stefano DiMera to raise. Of course, she hadn't exactly chosen to give her daughters up, but Nancy would always say she didn't fight hard enough for her daughters. Nancy had went on and on about Aida; wishing she knew if her daughter still loved her, wanting to know what kind of person she was… Nancy didn't even know if Aida was even alive! But it was like, somehow... she knew. Perhaps, though she'd hid it well over the years... Nancy had always known that her long-lost child was alive. What troubled her most was not whether she was alive... but whether Aida was "well."

It bothered Brady, more then he thought it should, giving him more fuel to track down DiMera. He couldn't even say for sure this Aida was the kind of person he would _want_ to save. After all, unlike Stefano's other children, Aida had been raised from infancy under his cruel rule. Surely, by now there would be nothing left of Nancy Wesley's beloved child. Only a cold-hearted monster could remain... right? But even still... Brady felt as if he knew. He knew that no one who shared a connection with his Diva, not to mention a face, could truly be evil, no matter how she'd been raised. It just wasn't possible.

At any rate... just as Nancy's had been,, Brady's thoughts had been mostly on Aida this morning, and whether she would help him bring Chloe home, or side with the father who raised her. Assuming she was alive. It had crossed Brady's mind that the reason Stefano would want Chloe was because Aida was dead and he needed a replacement for her, but he would never say that in front of Nancy. The file he had been studying contained many unsolved cases from around Europe. John believed Europe would be a good place for DiMera to run. But Europe is a big country, so that reasoning really didn't narrow things down much. Ireland was another possibility, but had so far been ruled out. Brady had had Bo use some of his connections to get case files from unsolved thefts around Europe, specifically around the Paris areas. But John's words still stuck in Brady's head; Chloe wouldn't be found until DiMera wanted her to be found.

"Stop it, Black. You WILL find her. DiMera will not win this one," Brady said aloud to himself. But looking over the file for the millionth time, Brady began to loose the small batch of hope he'd created. "God, this is hopeless! DiMera could have taken her to the moon for all I know!" Brady cursed, slamming the file down onto his desk. "Where are you Chloe?" Brady whispered. It was at that moment, that the cell phone sitting besides a picture of Chloe on his desk rang...

Stefano watched in disgust as Elizabeth again got the upper hand of her partner Merdoc, grabbing his arm and throwing him down onto his back on the padded training mat. Elizabeth and Merdoc had been sparing for little over an hour. A breeze for his daughter Elizabeth, a hellish nightmare for Merdoc. Elizabeth proved to be a natural in the arts of self defense, "battle tactics", and the like. She still could not paint as wonderfully as her twin sister Victoria, but they were equally matched where agility and speed where concerned. His twin daughters thought on their feet, where as Merdoc couldn't even master a training staff.

"I should have taken the Black boy," Stefano muttered aloud to himself. He'd never had any hope that he could turn Philip into a mercenary. Philip was a disgrace to the very word! But he held up well enough for Stefano not to request that Victoria herself show Merdoc the ropes. It was obvious she loathed the boy, as did Elizabeth. It was just that Elizabeth was less likely to actually kill Merdoc. Although at times, he rather doubted either of his precious daughter's could contain themselves to that end. Stefano chuckled slightly to himself. Even altering his estranged daughter to his own specifications, she would never feel anything but loathing for the former Philip Kiriakis. Stefano found it rather humorous that even without Chloe's memories, Elizabeth had hated Merdoc from the beginning. He grimaced when Merdoc got up, only to be knocked down again by Elizabeth's quick attack with a padded fighting staff. "Definitely should have taken Brady."

"Now that would be rich wouldn't it?" Rolf commented, stepping up beside his employer.

"All in due time. I'm satisfied with my two lovely daughters as it stands. Still, I would be very pleased to see if Little Black is anything like his father." Stefano stated, crossing his arms over his chest. "Bloody hell Merdoc! You outweigh her for God's sake! Get it right!" Stefano yelled to the young man as his lunge for Elizabeth failed miserably. Victoria stood in the doorway of the main training room, laughing slightly.

"You should have kicked him out long ago. He's useless." Victoria stated.

"I am not!" Merdoc yelled angrily as he pulled himself up from the mat for the millionth time. Maybe he did have some use; he made a rather wonderful punching bag, considering how matter how many times he got knocked down, the hopeless but resilient imbecile would get up.

"Enough, Merdoc. You're dismissed," Stefano ordered. Merdoc would have protested, had it not been for Victoria's icy glare. He grumbled his way out the door, purposely bumping into Victoria on his way out. "Victoria, my dear. Please, come in. I wish to speak to you about your mission tonight," Stefano beckoned. Victoria nodded, walking in and over to her father as an obviously eager Elizabeth joined them. "Elizabeth dear, you can go. You know you are not ready for a mission such as this yet." Elizabeth pouted her full lips, a move she quickly found her father had a hard time resisting from both his daughters.

"Father, that's not fair! Victoria's even told you I've learned so much faster then she did!" Elizabeth proclaimed.

"Izzy, please don't start. It's useless. Father's pigheaded like that," Victoria commented with a slight grin.

"You two... utterly impossible," Stefano commented, though with a joyous humor. "Elizabeth, I do agree, you've learned quickly. But until you master your paintings, and prove to me you can handle yourself in extreme situations, you remain here, training with Merdoc." Stefano stated. Elizabeth huffed, placing her hand on her hip.

"What's he still doing here anyway? He's not a relative, and he most certainly couldn't fight his way out of a paper bag. Is there some secret talent he has that you're not telling me about?" Elizabeth inquired.

"Yes, actually." Stefano commented. "The boy has no shame, and has a very... unique method of channeling his anger," Stefano stated, knowing Elizabeth wouldn't know what he meant. But Victoria did, and her smile quickly faded. "Now, run along my daughter. You are set to practice painting. I want you to try something a little more complex today." Elizabeth nodded, though still upset she couldn't go out with her sister on her mission. She took her training staff to the rack on the wall, going slowly in the hopes of catching part of Victoria and their father's conversation. "Now, Victoria. There has been a slight change in plans." Stefano said as Elizabeth began for the door. "I want you to take Merdoc with you tonight," Stefano finished, knowing Elizabeth would hear.

"What?!" Elizabeth turned on her father, stalking back to where her sister and father were conversing about the evenings plans. A party was being held, and Victoria would be attending, to steal a very valuable work of art for her father. "You're sending that bumbling idiot along, and you won't let me go?!"

"Relax, Elizabeth. It's for the best. I've tried to hold off, but I truly believe that the only way Merdoc will ever be found useful is if we throw him into the lion's den, and see if he manages to survive," Stefano stated. Victoria visibly brightened.

"So, does that mean I have free pass to beat the living daylights out of the little twerp?" Victoria asked hopefully.

"If he messes up, I won't hold you responsible for your actions," Stefano answered lightly. Victoria grinned, resisting the strange, sudden urge to do a little victory dance. "Do not worry my precious Elizabeth. I already have plans for your final test. You have proven your worth thus far, and I know you will live up to the honored DiMera name once again," Stefano said proudly.

"Thank you father. I only want to please you," Elizabeth stated, showing a devotion which appeared to be a cross between Lexie's blind faith, and Gina's regal devotion to her employer. Victoria hid her disgust. The last thing she had wanted was for her twin sister Chloe to be lost completely to Stefano's devious ploy. But, Chloe Lane had died the moment she stepped foot into the underground laboratory, to be replaced by Stefano's own creation, Elizabeth Joleen DiMera. Elizabeth was created to be another art thief, and eventually, another token in Stefano's war against the Blacks and the Bradys. Stefano had fine-crafted her memory and personality to suit his every whim. She had been very eager from the start to be like her twin Victoria, and that scared Victoria to death.

She had vowed she would not endanger her sister's and her own safety by contacting the Blacks months ago. But as each day went by, and "Elizabeth" began to travel down the same road Victoria had been forced to walk down, Victoria grew more and more resigned to free her sister of the torment, whatever punishment might lay in store for her for doing so. Her twin had yet to know the guilt of stealing from other people, of deceiving everyone who grew to trust in you... of taking a human life. All this, and more, had become every day life for Victoria. And she'd be damned if she allowed her sister to walk down that path so eagerly! Victoria couldn't deny her instant love for her beloved twin sister. She had not had to come face to face with Chloe to know that she would lay down her life for her. But seeing her now, growing so close to her this past few months... experiencing everything that Victoria had long for with every fiber of her being, she knew. She knew she would do whatever it took, to spare her sister of the life that awaited her. She had her plan in mind, and leaving the confines of the Von Amburg estate would make that possible, even if she had to take Merdoc along.

"I am very proud of your progress, daughter. I know you will not fail me," Stefano said proudly. Elizabeth nodded, taking her leave and making her way to her room to change out of her training clothes. Stefano turned again to Victoria, noting the thoughtful look on her face.

"You are not pleased with the changes in your sister," Stefano noted. Rolf had left with Merdoc, so they were alone now in the training room. Victoria sighed deeply, shaking her head.

"It shouldn't have had to come to this father. She might as well be a mindless drone," Victoria said sadly.

"I understand your concern, Victoria my dear. But all will be well. We have our family back together now. And together, we will truly be unstoppable." Stefano stepped closer, cupping his daughter's face with his hands and forcing her to look at him. "I always take good care of my children, Victoria. Always. Even if they do not wish to accept me, they will, in the end," Stefano said firmly, stepping back again. Victoria nodded, not wishing to argue with her father now on the matter. "Now, as I've said, I want you to take Merdoc with you. If he should fail, then perhaps beating the sense into him is the only way to unlock that mercenary I believe he holds inside. Have you finished the painting?"

"Yes, father. It's a perfect match, as always."

"Good. You know what you are to do then?" Victoria nodded. "Very good. You leave in an hour. I will expect the two of you back tomorrow night," Stefano stated. Victoria just nodded, departing the room without waiting for her dismissal. She stopped for a moment to yell at Merdoc, telling him to get his scrawny ass ready to accompany her to the party which would be held near Vaux Le Vicomte, but would require a low profile overnight stay. There was to be little guard, and Victoria would have time for her own plans...  
An hour later, Victoria and Merdoc departed, leaving the Von Amburg estate to make the TGV to Vaux Le Vicomte. Victoria quickly ditched Merdoc upon their arrival, sending him to his own plush hotel room suite to change for the party. She sat down on her large bed, grabbing a cell phone she'd just purchased. Victoria pulled a slip of paper out of her purse, dialing the number and waiting for someone to pick up...

Brady reached for his cell phone, picking it up and flipping open the cover, bringing it up to his ear after the third ring. "Brady Black," Brady said. Their was a moment of silence before Brady heard her voice, a voice that sent chills down his spine. It sounded so familiar, and yet he couldn't place it; it was so much more distant and cold then he thought _that_ voice could ever be.  
"The Von Amburg Estate, Paris. Bring your father," the feminine voice said simply, before disconnecting the call. Brady stared wide eyed at his phone, unbelieving.  
"Chloe," Brady whispered almost involuntarily. He hadn't a clue who the caller was, or what they meant, but he did know one thing; he had to get to Paris...


	13. Chapter 13: Plans Gone Wrong

Chapter 13: Plans gone wrong

(Quick note: Ignore the fact that it's most likely impossible to charter even a private jet in such a short amount of time these days. Have to remember... I wrote this over 4 years ago. Things were... different then. And this is a soap opera, people. It's not like logic comes into play...)

Brady snapped his cell phone shut, grabbing his keys off the cluttered desk. He grabbed his coat, breezing past Sami as she came into his office. Sami had been hired as Kate's replacement three months ago, and had been working at Basic Black ever since.

"Well excuse me," Sami huffed.

"No time, take your 'tude somewhere else," Brady called over his shoulder as he quickly made his way to his father's office. John was in a meeting with a few of the head designers of Basic Black, and a few cross-overs from Titan. "Jet, Paris, now," was all Brady said, motioning for everyone to leave the office. John looked questioningly at Brady as everyone else hurried out.

"Son, what the hell are you talking about?" John demanded.

"Tell you on the way dad. Come on lets go. We're stopping at the Penthouse. Leave Austin in charge here, and then we're gone," Brady said simply. John wanted more answers, but he saw the serious look on his son's face, and immediately complied. They stopped only long enough to tell Austin he was in charge of the merger while John and Brady went out of town on business, then they left to the penthouse while John called to prepare the jet.

"Alright Brady, the plane will be ready when we get there. Now tell me what the hell we're doing. I'd like to know why I'm going half way across the country," John stated, turning the corner and heading towards the Black family penthouse.

"It's Chloe, Dad. I... I know this sounds weird, but I swear, she called me," Brady answered. John pulled his car to a more abrupt stop then he'd meant to at the stop sign.

"What?! Son, that's..."

"Don't say impossible, Dad. I know how crazy it sounds, but I swear, it was her. But... even if it wasn't her, I KNOW it has to do with her. Whoever it was said "The Von Amburg Estate, Paris. Bring your father" and then hung up. Chloe's there, Dad. I know it. Please trust me on this. We haven't had any leads in over three months. We have to try. Isn't that what you told me that night?" John nodded, checking both ways before pulling the car into motion again.

"Alright, Son. You know I trust you. You just have to know that I think this all sounds..."

"Crazy," Brady finished for him. Brady nodded. "I know. I almost thought I imagined it. But, if there's even the slightest chance I can find Chloe, I have to take it."

"Did you try callback?" John asked. Brady nodded solemnly, briefly remembering trying 69 in vein.

"Whoever called disconnected the phone after they hung up." Brady replied. The rest of the ride was spent in silence until they reached the Penthouse, where they had to explain themselves to Belle and Marlena. Both women insisted they come along too, but neither of the Black men would allow it. They packed quickly, telling the Black women not to even think about following, that they'd be in touch if there was any news on Chloe. Then they were off to the airport. John's pilot had the plane up and ready for departure when Brady and John arrived. The Black men stowed their bags and prepared for liftoff. Brady found himself staring blankly out the window as the plane took off and they began to make their way up into the air. "I'll find you Chloe. I promise, I'll find you..."

Victoria turned off her cell phone, replacing it back into the safety of her equipment bag.

"It's up to you now, Black," Victoria murmured softly to herself, standing to ready herself for tonight's party. She took her equipment bag with her, gently taking down a clear dress bag from it's hanger. She took the dress and her bag into the plush bathroom, dressing and doing her makeup as quickly as possible. Her dress was a full length golden corset top, laced in the front, and a full golden hoop skirt, complete with an overlying goldish/silver lace pattern The only real important aspects of her outfit, aside from the mask she wore to match her elaborate dress, was the band she wore around her left upper thigh which housed the fake painting she would replace with the original, the gun strapped to her right calf, and the small knife concealed securely inside her corset. Around her neck, Victoria delicately placed a ruby necklace; inside the necklace was a tiny tracking device. Her father of course was not the one that insisted on this little addition, but it was a precaution Victor herself always took. The receiver of the device was placed in the hands of the only person Victoria could ever truly call a friend; an old associate of her father's, who like her, resented the life he'd been raised into. Unknown to Stefano or the imbecile Merdoc, Victoria's only friend, Jordan, waited patiently just outside of Vaux Le Vicomte if Victoria should need his help. Victoria finished her hair and make up and grabbed her matching gold purse which held a pen of knock out gas, a smoke bomb, and a compact. Victoria departed her room, knocking on Merdoc's door across the hall. He emerged in a black tux, whistling at her choice of outfit.

"Mmm, nice," Merdoc commented. Victoria rolled her eyes, resisting the urge to slap him, although the thought, along with her other choices of torture, was quite tempting.

"Shut up, and let's go." Victoria said, grabbing his arm and looping her arm in hers.

"Yes, sir," Merdoc replied. Victoria made sure the doorknob "accidentally" hit Merdoc in the ass when she slammed it shut, and lead them towards the elevator, smiling in satisfaction at Merdoc's cursing. They left the plush, yet sparsely occupied hotel, departing in style in a limo provided by none other then Stefano DiMera. In the limo, Victoria placed her mask on, tossing Merdoc, who was still giving her evil glances, his black mask.

"You do know the plan, correct?" Victoria asked.

"Um... stay the hell out of your way and take notes?" Merdoc answered, quoting one of her earlier statements.

"Ah ha, so you aren't as dumb as you look!" Victoria exclaimed dryly. "Don't get in my way tonight, Merdoc. I work best alone. You are just to watch out. Take note of any security, keep an eye out for bugs or video cameras. Just stay the hell out of my way. And I swear, if you do ANYTHING to mess this up..."

"I know, I know, you'll beat the living shit out of me," Merdoc finished sarcastically.

"No. If you mess this one up, they'll be dragging your body out of the river," Victoria replied, very seriously. Merdoc blanched slightly, knowing she meant it. That bitch had no heart. At least that's what he believed from what he saw, and heard. The party was in full swing when the two arrived. Victoria ditched Merdoc quickly, whispering a reminder to stay close, but stay out of the way. She plastered a fake smile on her face, "happily" greeting the Europe elite. She played the "cheerful, innocent" part well, gaining the favor of every young male within 100 miles of the party. And every one of them disgusted her. Snobbish royals, wanna be rich-rich boys, and a multitude of perverts. But thankfully, the attention dispersed from the well known daughter of DiMera, mostly because of Merdoc. All throughout the evening, he'd managed to trip a waiter carrying refreshments, spill champagne all over a duchesses' daughter from England, offend her father by trying to "help clean it off", and had it not been for Victoria's intervention, he probably would have gotten the tar beat out of him by another of the more elite, but less tolerable member of the party.

Victoria slipped off down an empty corridor, motioning for Merdoc to silently follow suit. Just as Victoria suspected, there was no guard, and no security to be seen, other then the security panel which would open the room to the desired painting. Victoria had long since obtained the codes from another of Stefano's associates; one she loathed, but often needed his help. She punched in the numbers, stepping back for the door to open. Victoria surveyed the scene for any other obstacles, before allowing Merdoc to follow her inside. There had been camera's in the room. But thanks to Jordan's preciously timed hacking skills, they had had a mysterious power shortage just before Victoria and Merdoc got within sight.

There, high up on a mantel, was the painting which they had been sent to steal. Victoria quickly retrieved it, replacing the original with the exact copy she herself had finished late last night. It was another talent Victoria and Gina shared; they were natural artists, and could make an exact replica of any piece of artwork set before them. Unknown to Victoria while she was replacing the fake and placing the original in the band on her thigh, Merdoc tripped an invisible beam unnoticed by either, which would not only send a silent signal to security, but triggered a similar beam which, when one tried to escape the room, would sound a very loud alarm, alerting anyone else nearby.

"Alright, lets get out of here," Victoria said. Merdoc nodded, unknowingly walking straight for the second beam. Victoria gracefully hopped down, securing the painting and taking a step to follow Merdoc. "Merdoc, wait!" Victoria cried, seeing the new beam. Too late, Merdoc tripped the second alarm when her call caused him to fall flat on his face in his haste to turn around. "You idiot!" Victoria cried over the loud alarm. She grabbed him by the shirt, lifting him up and out the door before the security system could shut it on them. Victoria heard the sound of running men the way they came, so she ducked down another corridor, dragging Merdoc with her. She literally threw him against the wall, taking out her gun. The only exit was locked, so she'd have to make her own key.

"Quick! There they are!" Victoria heard the male voice from the front of the corridor. She blasted away the doorknob, before she turned on her heel, shooting the unfortunate who had spotted them in the shoulder. Victoria burst through the door, roughly pushing Merdoc out in front of her. By some twist of fate, they both managed to retreat into the dark woods surrounding the mansion without further confrontation. Neither spoke until they'd made it to the main road, where they could make their way to Jordan who was waiting with a car for them. Once out of danger, Victoria turned on Merdoc, pointing the gun straight at his head.

"You moron! How could you not see that alarm!" Victoria screamed. Merdoc remained unmoved, shaking his head.

"You never take blame for anything yourself, do you? _You're_ the genius mercenary here. Why didn't _you_ see it?" Merdoc scoffed. Victoria scowled, cocking the gun and readying it to fire again.

"Don't test me right now, you imbecile. Give me one good reason why I shouldn't blow your head off right here and now."

"Because, I'm dashing, charming, and look fabulous in a tux," Merdoc replied smugly. Victoria rolled her eyes, replacing her gun in the strap on her calf.

"Like hell you are. More like, you have the look of a psycho killer, and the mentality of a two year old," Victoria spat, turning around and starting off to where her only friend awaited them. _I swear, if we get caught by the police tonight... I really will kill him. Might as well get something good out of this miserable life I lead_. Victoria thought to herself.

"You know what everyone says about you and me, don't you?" Merdoc questioned. Victoria paused, not turning around.

"Oh, of course not, your highness of all powerful useless knowledge. Please, enlighten me with your gift of intelligence," Victoria spat.

"They say... that you'll either end up killing me," Merdoc started, stepping up behind her slowly and boldly turning her to face him, "or sleeping with me," Philip finished, an impish grin on his disturbing face. Rather then getting angry as he expected, Victoria smiled coyly, reaching up on her tip toes and leveling her face with hers.

"Hmm. Wanna know which I think it'll be?" Victoria cooed seductively. Merdoc nodded, his lips and throat suddenly too dry to form words. He licked his lips involuntarily as Victoria's own ruby lips inched closer to his. Just as Merdoc thought she was going to kiss him, a disgusted sneer crossed her face before she forcefully bit his bottom lip, instantly drawing blood. Merdoc pulled back, cursing up a storm as he drew his hand to his lip. "I'd rather crawl across 100 miles of broken glass then ever feel your disgusting lips on mine," Victoria spat.

"Jesus Christ! You bitch! What the hell did you do that for?!" Merdoc yelled. Victoria grinned, wiping the drop of blood off her own mouth and turning her back on him.

"Payback for fucking this mission up," Victoria replied simply, using what little moonlight there was, and her keen eyesight to continue on towards Jordan. Merdoc shook his head, wiping off the blood from his mouth, rather disgusted with the taste of his own blood.

"That's alright, my love. I much rather prefer your sister," Merdoc stated slyly. Victoria whirled on him again, grabbing him by the throat. Though he had no memory of it, she hadn't forgotten the things he'd done, or what Philip Kiriakis would have done to her sister Chloe had Stefano not intervened.

"You stay the hell away from my sister, do you hear? Because I swear, if you so much as look at her the wrong way, that bloody lip is going to be the last of your worries," Victoria spat, shoving him away from her. She turned again, and this time Merdoc had no reply, other then to silently follow her. He rarely saw that look of pure fury in her stunning eyes, but even he knew to back off when that emotion did cloud her beautiful features. He'd seen that certain, almost crazy look in the mirror many times, and that kind of fury in someone like Victoria was even more deadly then it was in him. Merdoc silently followed a seething Victoria to Jordan's awaiting car...


	14. Chapter 14:The Informant

Chapter 14: The Informant

Brady pushed his way through the bustling city crowd, uncaring of his surroundings. When they arrived very early this morning around 4 a.m., even at such a late hour they began to hear rumors about a big art theft at a mansion in Vaux Le Vicomte. Supposedly, a beautiful young woman and her male escort had stole away with a very valuable piece of art, injuring one guard in the process. That meant only one thing to John and Brady: Stefano DiMera was definitely in Paris.

"Hold on, son!" John called through the crowd, making his way to Brady's side quickly and taking hold of his shoulder. "What do you plan to do, storm the Von Amburg Estate?"

"What am I suppose to do, Dad? Stand around and wait for DiMera to show his face? I don't think so. I'm going to get Chloe," Brady replied, tearing himself from his father's grasp.

"Son, don't even _think_ about going in half cocked. You've got to think with your head, not your heart where DiMera's concerned. Now listen to me on this, son. I know him better then anyone. We can't go to the Von Amburg Estate. Not yet at least. We have to scope all this out, ask around for information. If we go in there without any knowledge of the situation at hand, DiMera will win," John said firmly. Brady wanted to protest, but he couldn't deny facts. And the fact was, he would lose if he burst into the DiMera mansion like this.

"Alright. I have a few contacts here. I'm going to go see them, hear what they know about DiMera's situation. You stay around here, see if anything looks suspicious and find out all you can about the art theft," John instructed. Brady nodded, turning from his father to continue the survey of the vast market-place. "Be careful, Son."

"Same to you, old man," Brady called. John shook his head, turning in the opposite direction. There was a gun shop owner near by he knew, and many other informants should this one fail...

(Elsewhere in the market-place)

Victoria smiled sweetly, paying the short bald man before her for her purchases. Her smile quickly faded to a disgusted sneer as she turned around to find Merdoc behind her. His fat lip thanks to her vicious bite didn't give her any pride, although she felt it should. She shoved the leather bag roughly into his chest.

"Here. Take this, and then find Veni. He'll have the stuff we need waiting for you," Victoria said through clenched teeth. Merdoc scowled, picking up quickly on her anger.

"I don't see what you're so mad about. I'm the one with the busted lip. Not to mention the fact that I'm the one Stefano's gonna beat for messing up the mission. Convenient isn't it, that _you,_ his daughter get praise for bringing in the painting despite everything, and _I'm_ the one who gets blamed for setting off that alarm, when _YOU'RE_ the one who caused me to fall and trip that alarm," Merdoc spat. Victoria rolled her eyes, flipping her long hair over her shoulder.

"You done yet?" Victoria questioned.

"No. Furthermore..." Merdoc started, but one look of warning quickly silenced him. His busted lip didn't feel too good at the moment. He didn't wish to feel more of the ice queen's wrath.

"Shut up, and do something right for a change. Get the rest of the stuff and meet me back here in 20 minutes. Father and Elizabeth are waiting at the docks," Victoria stated. With that, she stalked off, leaving a grumbling Merdoc to do the grunt work. She didn't make it too far before she spotted the unmistakable blonde head of one Brady Black. She'd studied those pictures so much over the past few months, she could probably recognize everyone in Salem from a mile away. She ducked into an alleyway she knew he would pass, and hid, waiting for him to come within reach. Brady stopped just short of the alley, sensing something he knew he should be catching. He was about to head in the direction Victoria had just left when two female hands grabbed him, pulling him quickly into the dim alleyway. Victoria pulled Brady into the alley, pulling them both behind a dumpster and out of sight.

"Chloe!" Brady gasped in surprise. He was so overjoyed at the sight of the brunette, he nearly wrapped his arms around her before she hushed him.

"Shhh!" Victoria hushed, putting a finger to her luscious lips to signal him to keep quiet. She peeked over the dumpster to watch as Merdoc passed by, mumbling curses, something about being under appreciated, and a barely coherent comment about "would love to throw her in a fire pit." Victoria shook her head, turning her attention back to the stunned blond standing against the wall in front of her.

"Chloe?" Brady asked again. Victoria shook her head.

"No. She's not here. Father took her with him this morning."

"You... you're Aida aren't you?" Brady concluded, his excitement obviously diminished now that he knew he hadn't found his Chloe. If he hadn't been so shocked and excited, he would have known that instantly. She might be Chloe's identical twin, but the woman before him was definitely not his Diva. Victoria was a bit taken back; never in her life had she ever heard anyone else say her birth name.

"I... how did you... no one else has ever called me that," Victoria said in near whisper. "I stopped being Aida Miller 17 years ago. I'm Victoria."

"I prefer Aida," Brady stated. "Where is she? Where has DiMera taken Chloe?" Brady demanded.

"The docks. We're leaving Paris, thanks to that idiot Merdoc... er, I mean Philip. That's who you know him as," Victoria replied. Brady looked confused, but Victoria couldn't help but notice the pure hatred that clouded his amazingly blue eyes at the mere mention of Philip.

"Philip, and Chloe aren't the people you know. They are Merdoc, and Elizabeth, Stefano's own creations. All they know about their pasts is what father tells them," Victoria clarified. Brady's jaw clenched, fists balled tightly in his attempt to control his raging anger.

"DiMera," Brady breathed with disgust. The mere name sounded so vial. "Where is he taking her, Aida?"

"I honestly don't know," Victoria replied sadly. All she knew was Merdoc's foul up had caused far too much suspicion for the DiMera clan to remain in Paris. Stefano merely instructed her to begin loading up all the art works, weaponry, and to prepare the other men and women for a quick departure this afternoon, but their destination was known only to Stefano. "Stefano wouldn't say, just that we were leaving. Did you bring your father?"

"Yes, he's here. He's with some contact of his," Brady answered. Victoria nodded, opening the small purse which hung loosely by a strap over her shoulder. She took out a little black box with a currently blank screen and many dials and buttons, handing it to Brady.

"Here, take this. Your father will know what to do with it."

"What is it?" Brady asked skeptically.

"It's a tracking device. My companion, Jordan, has something similar with him so he can monitor my movements and track down our destination. See this necklace?" Victoria asked, indicating the ruby necklace she still wore. "I wear this on every mission so Jordan will always know my location and back me up if I need help. Stefano knows nothing of my partnership with him. This," Victoria continued, taking out a slip of paper from her purse," is where you can reach him. His equipment is far more advanced then that one there, he can keep you informed on coordinates, and preciously pin point our exact path to wherever the hell Stefano is taking us. This here, is to help you follow if you need it," Victoria finished. Brady hesitantly took the paper with Jordan's address and phone number, depositing it and the tracking monitor in his jacket pocket.

"How do I know we can trust this Jordan? You for that matter," Brady questioned skeptically. True, she was Chloe's twin sister, as her physical appearance proved, but she had after all been raised by Stefano DiMera, the very man responsible for Chloe's disappearance. Not to mention, if she was here, then she was in fact the mysterious beauty responsible for the art theft. Victoria sighed, looking him straight in the eye.

"Do you know what it's like to wake up one morning, and find you still have another human being's blood on your hands? Know what it's like to know that, no matter how much you scrub and clean, you will never cleanse yourself of that feeling, that horrify guilt? To know that you can never free yourself from the bindings that hold you to a life of servitude, a life in which you're brought up to have no morals, and no regrets?" Victoria questioned firmly. "That's the life I was forced to live, Black. Being no more then a pawn in my father's twisted game of chess. And that is exactly the kind of life Chloe will live if you don't trust me. I know you can trust that. So, what's it going to be? Are you going to trust me when I tell you that I can help you, or do I have to take on Stefano on my own?"

"You really do care for her, don't you?" Brady asked quietly. Victoria nodded slowly, the cold, hard look she'd been raised to display melting away into the true emotion only Aida could feel.

"Yes, I do. My whole life, I've known she was out there, somewhere. And I always wished I could be with her instead of here, in Europe where Stefano could take away my innocence, my soul. I've never been allowed to know the real Chloe, but I'll be damned if I allow that light to be gone forever, even if it meant I couldn't be in her life. It's too late for me. I know... I know that I can't ever be free. But... Chloe doesn't have to go down the path I was forced down," Victoria answered. She looked over the dumpster again, catching sight of Merdoc again. "Listen, I have to go. Keep your cell phone with you, I'll contact you if I have any more information for you, if I can do so safely. Give the tracker to John, he'll know how to use it if you need it, but Jordan's equipment will be your best bet if you plan to follow us once we make it to our destination," Victoria instructed. Before she could leave, Brady gently took hold of her upper arm, turning her back to face him.

"Thank you, Aida," Brady said sincerely. Victoria shivered slightly from the use of her real name, nodding in reply.

"Just don't let Stefano win this. I can't take him on alone and still get Chloe away from him safely, for good. She needs you," Victoria replied. She left the alley quickly, making her way over to an awaiting Merdoc without casting another glance towards Brady. Brady watched her go in silent amazement, almost unbelieving of her astounding resemblance to his Diva. The only difference, as Chloe had quickly noted that day on the jet three months ago, was the absence of life from the dull blue eyes. Brady vowed then and there he would die before he allowed that light he cherished so dearly to die in his Diva's eyes...

Elizabeth smiled admiringly at her father, looping her arm in hers as they walked along the deck of DiMera's private ship. She truly worshiped and adored the powerful man she was fortunate enough to call her father, and wished only to gain as much praise and attention as her twin sister Victoria received.

"Elizabeth my dear, I am very sorry your training has been so abruptly interrupted. I had not wished to move us from our home, but it must be done," Stefano pointed out as he surveyed the many boxes being carefully stored in the cargo hold. Elizabeth wrinkled her nose, a habit she preformed when she was either disappointed or disgusted.

"Yes, well, if not for that imbecile Merdoc, we wouldn't have to relocate, but as you said, DiMera's are strong. We work with the hand life deals us, and always come out on top," Elizabeth stated matter-of-factly.

"Ah, my precious daughter, I am so very proud of you," Stefano said proudly. Elizabeth's gaze wondered towards the plank, where one could board or depart the ship.

"Sister!" Elizabeth called, leaving her father's side to embrace her sister. She noticed Merdoc behind Victoria, but she ignored him, giving him only a look of pure disappointment. Victoria pulled back slightly, trying to mask any of the troubled emotions she'd began feeling so strongly since her meeting with Brady. Of course, it didn't work. From day one, she could never hide anything from her twin. They had a bond not even vast distance could break. "Victoria, what is wrong? You look upset!"

"It's nothing Izzy. I just wish we didn't have to leave, that's all," Victoria lied. Elizabeth wasn't at all convinced, but she decided she would wait and question her sister later.

"As we all are, daughter. Come now, we must cast off to make our destination on time," Stefano said. Merdoc moved off to help load supplies, feeling unwanted in the family party and was better off doing what he usually did, the grunt work. The DiMera family walked away from the bustle of the final loading procedures, taking leisure on deck chairs already placed on the vast deck at the bow of the ship.

"Where _ARE_ we going father?" Victoria prodded. Somehow, the word father no longer came so easily to her lips anymore.

"Now, if I were to tell you that, it would ruin the surprise of our arrival," Stefano stated, chuckling slightly. Victoria breathed in a sigh, nodding slightly and involuntarily beginning to play with the ruby necklace around her neck as the plank was raised and she ship cast off. She watched the dock as it disappeared slowly from sight, praying the Black's would be able to follow...


	15. Chapter 15: Informant Lost

Chapter 15: Informant Lost

John adjusted the dials on the tracking device, setting them to the required specifications to track the DiMera ship's location. As much as Brady had wanted to rent a boat and begin following them using the device Aida had given him, but John had insisted they check out Jordan, check his equipment and see what information he had on DiMera. Jordan gave them specific directions over the phone to get to his place, and was quick to comply with each question and demand John had for him once they arrived at the rundown apartment. As shabby as the place looked, John had never seen such expensive, state-of-the-art tracking/computer equipment. Some of it was of course illegal for civilians to own, but an "associate" of DiMera's such as Jordan couldn't be bothered with such notions as "illegal."

"The system will automatically print out all points they reach. It gives all the proper coordinates to find your way. You'll be able to follow their exact path once they get where they are going," Jordan explained.

"I still say we shouldn't wait! Aida gave us this hand held device, no doubt so we could follow. I think it's a big risk to wait. This is DiMera for God's sake! Dad and I each have a cell phone, we can keep mine open for Aida's call, and keep in contact with you," Brady insisted. Jordan shook his head.

"You can't keep even those high tech gadget cell phones of yours charged long out there on the water. We have no way of telling how long they'll be out there, not to mention they may still travel on land. We need to wait it out. I know Victoria, she's not about to let anything happen to her sister," Jordan insisted.

"He's right, son. You said you trusted her, just be patient, and keep that faith. This is the best we can do until Aida clues us in on their new location," John stated. Brady sighed, frustrated that he couldn't do more to rescue his Diva.

"I know. But I... I feel so damn helpless just sitting here waiting!" Brady complained, involuntarily beginning to pace the small confines of Jordan's crowded equipment room. "He put a chip in her head, Dad. Aida didn't come right out and say that, but I could tell. It's the only way DiMera could get her to do what he wants."

"We'll deal with that when we find Chloe, Son," John insisted. "I know the procedure, I can remove the chip."

"Here, Brady. Victoria sent over all the files of the procedure, notes on Princess Gina and your father's reactions, and all that. You can read up on it while we wait if you'd like," Jordan offered. Truthfully, the offer wasn't really out of kindness, but Brady's pacing made him nervous as hell. Brady nodded, glad for the distraction. He placed his cell phone beside the keyboard as he sat down in front of Jordan's computer screen. All the files of the procedure were logged into his computer by Victoria, although she herself couldn't perform the surgery. She'd often told herself if it wasn't for fear of harming or even killing her sister, Victoria would remove that damn chip from her sister's central nervous system in a heartbeat. Jordan brought up the files, giving Brady full access to the vast material before retreating back to the tracking monitors. Brady sighed deeply, attempting to calm his completely shot nerves. He felt like a failure, just sitting here doing nothing while his Chloe was out, only God knew where with Stefano DiMera. But his father was right. They were doing the best anyone could. Still, he couldn't get over that feeling of complete helplessness. Brady had never been completely straight forward with Chloe when they were talking about his personal life, and it scared him to think he never would get the chance. Brady shook his head, vowing to remain positive. He'd told Aida he trusted her, and he truly believed that she would help bring Chloe back to Salem, where she belonged. Those eyes, those haunting eyes, had proved that to him; Brady knew now that Aida would sacrifice her life if she had to to keep her twin sister from suffering the same fate. That was something Brady could put his faith in. Even if she had been raised a DiMera, the girl hadn't an evil bone in her body. Brady spent the next hour or so trying to concentrate solely on the computer screen, rather then the cell phone sitting next to the keyboard...

Victoria hugged herself tightly as she walked by herself along the deck, the cool breeze lifting her hair off her shoulder in places, but failing to calm her nerves. She'd been on edge all day long, and it was obvious Elizabeth picked up on it instantly. She hadn't questioned her on the matter, but Victoria was almost sure she would sooner or later. Most of the rest of the afternoon had been spent in meetings with Stefano, briefings on what would go down once they arrived wherever the hell it was they were going. Stefano had stated that this new life would be quite a switch from their dealings in Europe. To Victoria, that meant only one possibility: if she wasn't to be an art thief, she was to live the only other lifestyle Stefano had raised her for. The life of a bounty hunter. No matter where Stefano relocated, he always had very powerful connections, people who would carry out deals for him, and people who would ask him for service. Victoria had once believed that her father enjoyed toying with the lives of others far too much to order the destruction of another human life, but she knew better then that now. Perhaps his favorite pawns, the citizens of Salem, would escape death at DiMera's hands, but Stefano obviously felt no remorse for a bounty kill. It sickened her, just thinking about it.

Victoria stopped at the railing at the stern of the ship, looking out over the water, appearing to seem almost longing for what they were leaving behind. Life in Paris had been almost unbearable as it was. But this new life... if she was right... this would be a whole new kind of hell. And there was nothing she could do to fight it. To make things worse, it disturbed her to see Elizabeth so eager to please her father, no matter what that meant she would have to do. Rolf had done his job well. Elizabeth had no memory of any of her life before she was taken to Europe, and was trained only to believe in the trust of her family. Meaning Stefano could make her do anything and everything he wanted. Though she hadn't been given a chance to know the real Chloe, Victoria could feel it in her heart that Chloe Lane would have never given up so easily to the demented will of Stefano. Chloe meant it when she said she'd never be a DiMera. Stefano had had to make her into a completely different person to get her to submit to his will, but it pleased him none the less. He didn't need her soul to satisfy him. After all... he already had Victoria's. Chloe Lane was dead, leaving Elizabeth DiMera to become another pawn in Stefano's game, not to mention she would become a new trump card against the Blacks and the Bradys. Victoria was about to pull out her cell phone, though she knew better then to risk contact here, when she felt the presence behind her.

"What are you doing out here Izzy?" Victoria asked. Elizabeth laughed, coming up beside her twin.

"How do you always know it's me?"

"It's a twin thing," Victoria replied simply. "Besides... I didn't automatically feel like vomiting, so I knew it couldn't be Merdoc." Elizabeth wrinkled her nose at the mention of her bumbling partner.

"Did you cause that busted lip, or did he actually get in a fight with one of the guards?" Victoria laughed, shaking her head.

"Is that what he told you? No no, that's definitely my handiwork. He made the mistake of opening his big fat mouth by saying that sooner or later, I would either kill him, or sleep with him."

"Ugh. That's so typical of him. Have you seen the way he looks at every woman on the team?"

"You in particular," Victoria noted dryly. Even altered, Merdoc still appeared to retain the same obsession as Philip had. I suppose it just proved what she'd already known the moment she first laid eyes on him; Philip Kiriakis was twisted and distorted at the very core.

"I'm surprised he's intelligent enough to tell the difference between us," Elizabeth stated. "So, what did you do?"

"Bit his lip," Victoria replied solemnly. "He tastes bad," she added, smiling slightly, but the smile lacked any real emotion.

"I could imagine," Elizabeth muttered. By now, she too was looking out over the water. She couldn't explain it, but she felt as if there was something she should be looking for, some reason she shouldn't leave Paris. "Vicky, what's got you so upset? You are the most focused person I know, but you've been so out of it today."

"It's nothing, Izzy, really. Just thinking is all."

"About the mission last night?"

"Some, actually," Victoria admitted. There was another thing that was bothering her. "He died."

"Who?"

"The guard I shot last night at the party. I heard in the marketplace today that he didn't make it, too much blood lost."

"You never miss your target," Elizabeth stated. Victoria closed her eyes, masking her deep emotions she knew were useless to try and hide. She _had_ missed her target. She had never intended to kill the man. He was supposed to merely be disabled so they could escape.

"Do you have to say it like cold blooded murder is a good thing?" Victoria whispered.

"Victoria, what _IS_ wrong with you? This is... this is our life, it's what we do, right?" Elizabeth prodded. She wished she could remember her life, she only had bits and pieces here and there, memories Stefano had wished her to have. All she knew was to please her father and to remain loyal to her family. That would bring them all to victory in the end. Stefano often boasted that's why he choose such a name for Victoria. _She's the very symbol of our victory _their father would say. Elizabeth often asked about the origin of her name. Stefano would always reply that, to him, the name represented strength, dignity, and power. The answer always brought a bright smile to Elizabeth's face. Stefano had told her that, unlike Victoria, Elizabeth hadn't been able to grow up under his roof, although he would never explain why she could not remember her life before her father found her. She often felt she paled in comparison to her sister. They looked exactly alike, but Victoria held herself so much differently then Elizabeth did. Or at least she had until now.

"Izzy, do you ever wonder why you can't remember anything about your life, aside from the last three months?" Victoria asked, almost reading her sister's mind.

"I... well... damn it, Vicky, why must you always know what's on my mind?"

"It's the same reason you can usually read me like an open book," Victoria replied. She turned her sister to face her, taking hold of her hands. "Look, Izzy, I know what kind of life we are expected to live. This is all I've ever known, and I'm sure I'm the last person you'd expect to see acting soft. Believe me, it scares the hell out of me, but... I want you to know, that no matter what Elizabeth... I love you. You are my sister, my twin sister, and I'll always stand by your side. I just... I'm tired, Izzy. I don't give a damn anymore about what I was raised to believe. All I know is... this life... it... it's killing me," Victoria admitted softly. Elizabeth looked stunned; after all the praise she received, Elizabeth would have thought Victoria was very happy with her life. They had everything a girl could ever ask for.

"Victoria, what are you saying? Are you saying you don't care about father..."

"No, Elizabeth, that's not what I'm saying. Even though... even though my beliefs are changing, I'll always love him." It made her sick to say it. But it was true. Even if she tried not to... Stefano DiMera's hold on her was just far to deep. She would be forced to love the monster that was her father, with her last breathe. " He's my father, whether I like it or not. Listen, Izzy, let's not talk about all this now, okay? I'm just... confused is all. Even I have my off days."

"Boy do you ever," Elizabeth exclaimed with a sly smile. Victoria pushed her playfully, turning back to gaze out over the water.

"Alright you, enough twin bashing. Wouldn't want a busted lip to match Merdoc's, now would you?"

"Evil girl," Elizabeth muttered. "Alright, I'm gone."

"Izzy?" Victoria called before Elizabeth walked off, although she didn't turn to face her twin.

"What?"

"Remember what I said. Always. And remember this. Things with our father... are never what they seem," Victoria said. Elizabeth looked at her sister's back questioningly, but decided against asking. She really didn't feel up to the answers.

"You are one hell of a puzzle, sis. I swear, even I can't seem to figure you out," Elizabeth stated before disappearing into the door which lead to her father's smoking room.

"Neither can I," Victoria admitted silently to the now darkened skies. She waited until Elizabeth was gone before pulling out her cell phone, despite knowing deep down it was not safe to do so, but needing to for reasons she couldn't explain, and began to dial the familiar number...

Brady jumped at the sound of the phone ringing, grabbing his cell phone before John or Jordan could.

"Aida?" Brady asked hopefully. There was a slight paused before he heard her voice.

"I'm never going to get used to being called that," Victoria replied. Brady breathed a sigh of relief, the frustration of the past two agonizing hours gone the moment he heard that soft voice which reminded him so much of his Diva's.

"Aida, what is it? Do you know where DiMera is taking you and Chloe?"

"No. He wouldn't say. Just that it'll be a complete switch from our life in Europe. He said something about meeting up with "an old family friend.""

"Any ideas who that might be?"

"Well... from father's tone of voice, it sounded to me like he definitely wouldn't be welcoming him or her with open arms. It sounded like he wanted to get back at an enemy of his," Victoria replied. "What about with you? Can you track us alright? I haven't tested this device from such great distances."

"No, everything's fine with the equipment. Jordan says we'll be able to follow your exact path," Brady replied. John motioned for Brady to give him the phone, but he just shook his head. "Aida, what about Chloe? How is she?"

"To be honest..." Victoria hesitated, pondering her answer, "she... doesn't seem to be anything like the Chloe Lane you knew. I think she still feels a connection to her past, but... she won't try to figure it out. Stefano has her too loyal to him."

"Damn him," Brady cursed out loud. "Damn him for doing this to her! She's been through enough in her life already without having to have this put on her too!"

"I'm so sorry Brady. I should have done more to..."

"No, just stop. No time for blame, Aida. We just have to focus on getting our Chloe back to Salem, where she belongs. Now, please, you'd know DiMera better then any of us. Where could he be heading? You've noticed your surroundings, where do you think he would relocate?"

"I don't know. Father has dealings all over the world. I can't even for the life of me figure out why he would be traveling by ship rather then taking the jet. My best guess... well, three places come to mind. Father's major dealings, besides France and Europe, are in London, Wales, and Dub..." before she was allowed to finished, someone cut her off, grabbing her roughly from behind and pulling her into a tight embrace, pinning her arms while another figure took the cell phone.

"Aida?! Aida, what's wrong?" Brady demanded, beginning to panic. He could hear what sounded like a struggled, muffled cries, and a demented laugh that reminded him far too much of his insane uncle. John sensed the urgency, grabbing the phone from Brady and bringing it to his own ear.

"Aida, are you..." John started.

"Ah, John, so good to hear from you." John's blood ran cold as the new voice reached his ears.

"DiMera," John sneered. Brady's jaw clenched, his burning anger suppressing the fear he now felt for Aida and Chloe's safety. Jordan, thinking ahead, put himself in front of the computer screen, printing out and saving copies of ever coordinate and check point before the signal was lost.

"Why, John, you don't sound pleased to be speaking with me," Stefano said tauntingly. "Can't imagine why."

"What have you done to them, you sick bastard?" John demanded.

"Now now, John, flattery will get you no where," Stefano stated. He watched as Victoria struggled against Merdoc's surprisingly strong, sound grip on her. The one time he didn't screw up, and it had to be now! Finally Stefano could let go of the regret at ever taking him along, and Victoria's regret at not blowing his head off the previous night only grew stronger. "It seems you and the Little Black have been a very bad influence on my most prized child. Bad form, John, trying to use my own flesh and blood against me."

"Cut the bullshit DiMera. You know nothing of bad form, or playing fair. Just as long as you get what you want."

"Ah ha, 'tis true, you know me so well. Stefano DiMera _always_ gets what he wants."

"What have you done with Chloe and Aida, DiMera?"

"Victoria and Elizabeth are no longer your concern," Stefano stated, stressing the new names which he himself had chosen for his twin daughters.

"The hell they aren't! You've crossed the line this time, Stefano. I swear, if you..."

"Don't make idol threats with me John. You may be my most formidable, and capable of opponents, but you are powerless now," Stefano stated firmly. He walked up to the struggling Victoria, jerking the ruby necklace off her neck. "I must say, I am so very disappointed, however, that you managed to turn my own child against me. Such high hopes for my precious Victoria, lost now. Although, I must commend the use of this little device here. Imagine, hiding a tracking device in her favored piece of jewelry so you could follow suit. Very clever indeed," Stefano commented. He threw the necklace over the railing and into the water below. "You'll find your little tracking device at the bottom of the ocean. As for my daughters... you shan't be seeing them ever again. I always win John, you of all people know that best. They are mine. Mine, to do with what I will," Stefano said, before disconnecting the phone call and tossing the offending cell phone over the edge as well. He turned to Merdoc and Victoria, delighting in his daughter's attempts to escape. "Take her down below to the cargo hold. Restrain her there, we shall deal with her infidelity once we reach our destination."

"Damn you, father! Damn you for ruining my life!" Victoria screamed, vainly struggling against Merdoc as he began to pull her back with him. "You took away my family, my soul! You took everything from me! You never gave me a chance to live! I will never forgive you for that father, never! I swear to you, I won't let you hurt Chloe the way you did me, do you hear me father?! You can do what you want with me, but you will NEVER take her!" Victoria yelled. Victoria's screams brought the attention of a few of Stefano's team, not to mention one very pissed off Elizabeth. She hadn't heard the argument, but she did know one thing: Merdoc was hurting her sister.

"Let her go!" Elizabeth demanded, advancing towards her twin and her foolish partner. Stefano stopped her with a mere raise of his hand.

"No, Elizabeth. Let him be. He's doing only what I ask."

"Father, why..."

"It seems your sister here has betrayed us," Stefano interrupted. "You see my dear, it appears she's been associating with some of my enemies. My most hated, the Black family, no less," Stefano stated, weighing his daughter's reaction. Elizabeth turned towards the struggling pair, the same rage written all over face. Only this rage, was directed at her sister.

"_THIS_ is what you meant by sticking together?! What you meant when you said you'd always love us, no matter what?!" Elizabeth demanded. Victoria shook her head, pleading with her sister with her eyes to believe in her.

"Izzy, no, I..." SMACK Victoria's efforts were cut short when Elizabeth back handed her across the cheek, sending her stumbling further into Merdoc's controlled embrace.

"How could you?! How can you betray us like this?! Your no sister of mine, traitor," Elizabeth spat, turning away from her once beloved sister in disgust. As her own blood began to trickle slowly out of the corner of her mouth from her sister's violent slap, Victoria no longer felt the urge to fight. The strong connection that she had felt all her life to her long-lost sister seemed almost... severed now. And with so little effort on her sister's part. Victoria merely gave up, allowing Merdoc to drag her to the entrance to the cargo hold. As the door closed in front of her face, she caught sight of her father, instantly recognizing the look on his face; total triumph. Stefano DiMera... had won...

John slammed the cell phone down on the desk, cursing.

"Damn it!" John swore. "He found the tracking device, he threw it over board. And now, he knows Aida was helping us."

"God, there's no telling what he'll do to her!" Brady moaned. Jordan remained the only optimistic one as he looked over the printout.

"Relax guys, this isn't over yet. Not by a long shot," Jordan stated.

"What do you got?" John inquired.

"Victoria definitely does her job well. Someone else might not be able to interpret this, but I have enough information to know exactly where Stefano is heading." Jordan stated confidently. He walked to the other side of the room, grabbing a black bag from under a desk.

"Men, we're heading to Ireland..."


	16. Chapter 16: Playing By Ear

Chapter 16: Playing By Ear

Victoria bowed her head in defeat as Merdoc tied her hands firmly behind her back. No DiMera form of transportation would have been complete without somewhere to chain a hostage, and that's what this part of the cargo hold served for. It was under the actual cargo hold, and was little more then a bare room with a chain secured in the middle. The shackle was already around Victoria's foot, giving her only a very small circle of room to hop around in, not that she had any intention of moving, or breaking free. Stefano had instructed Merdoc to stay down below and guard Victoria until they reached their destination. After securely binding the mute Victoria, Merdoc retreated to the room's only door, leaning up against it and watching the dejected young woman intently.

"You know, it's kinda funny," Merdoc started after a few moments, and not a word or movement from Victoria, who merely sat on the cold floor with her back to him. She didn't respond, hadn't the will or the energy to. "I always figured you were too smart to turn on your father like this. Or, at least smart enough not to get caught. I guess I should have known though. You're kind isn't loyal to anyone."

"You're not intelligent enough to notice your surroundings," Victoria finally muttered. Merdoc's eyes flashed with anger. He stepped away from the door and a little closer to her.

"Why you..."

"And don't try coming back with a witty remark either, Merdoc. Your not capable of intelligent conversation, so just do me a favor, and shut the fuck up," Victoria spat. Merdoc growled low in his throat, stalking up to her and forcing her to turn his way.

"Don't you talk to me like that! Your in no position to fight me," Merdoc spat. Victoria laughed, jerking away from his grasp.

"Fight you? You're not worth the air you breathe, why would I want to fight you? You weren't worth a shit then, and you're not worth a shit now," Victoria laughed. Merdoc snarled, slapping her in much the same fashion as Elizabeth had earlier. It didn't have the same emotional impact as Elizabeth's, but sent the vulnerable Victoria down the rest of the way to the floor none the less. Merdoc took advantage of the position, kicking her roughly in the stomach.

"I said don't fucking talk to me like that, you bitch!" Merdoc yelled, kicking her again for good measure. Victoria groaned, rolling onto her other side to keep Merdoc from seeing the pain he'd caused. "I don't know what your trying to pull here, Victoria. But unless you want me to rip out all that pretty hair of yours, you'll shut up, and play nice like a good prisoner," Merdoc spat. Victoria coughed, pulling herself up into a sitting position once again.

"Do you know what's really funny, Merdoc?" Victoria asked, shaking off the pain and turning her face to look up at Merdoc, glaring daggers at him. "The really funny thing about all this is... you had to tie me up to beat me." Merdoc's lip curled up in disgust, much to Victoria's pleasure. "Ah, but even you, the scrawny little twit who's only being strung around here because your not worth killing... even you know I'm right. You couldn't lay a hand on me if you didn't tie me up or sneak up on me, like the coward that you are," Victoria prodded. Merdoc raised his hand to strike her again, but was cut off by her laughter. "Now now, Mer, wouldn't want to let the prisoner get the better of you, now would you? You, dear Merdoc, are far too predictable." Merdoc's eyes narrowed down at her, studying her and trying to figure out what her game was. Did she just want to torture him for kicks, or did she actually want him to lose his temper and kill her? Boy, did he ever wish he could do just that. It wouldn't be that hard to just snap her neck and be done with it... Such a thought felt as natural to him as breathing.

"You know, Vic, the only reason you're not dead right now is because unlike you, I follow my orders," Merdoc snarled, turning away from her and heading towards the door.

"Ah, following orders. How rich. To see the mighty _Philip Kiriakis_ becoming a mere lap dog for the likes of Stefano DiMera," Victoria taunted. Her stressed name caused Merdoc to stop in his tracks, turn around to stare at her, almost begging for her to go on. "Ah ha, but then again, you don't remember that part of your life, now do ya Phil?"

"What the hell are you talking about? I don't know any Philip Kiriakis," Merdoc argued. Victoria chuckled, turning to face him better as he stood still in front of the iron door.

"Oh, of course now you don't. Daddy dearest made damn sure of that. I guess the name Chloe Lane wouldn't ring a bell either, now would it?" Victoria taunted. Behind her back, she'd already begun to slowly make work of relieving herself of the rope that bound her hands together. Merdoc had relieved her of the dagger she had on her, but no good art thief wasn't also half escape artist.

"Who..." Merdoc paused, processing both names. The first, the male name, had been enough to stop him in his tracks. But the female name... there was something too familiar about that name, something that gave him this overwhelming feeling that he needed to prove himself, needed to own this Chloe whoever she was completely. "Damn it Victoria, I'm not falling for your games!" Merdoc yelled.

"No games, love. Only truth. You see, I am my father's daughter, whether I like it or not. And I share one of his most important beliefs; the truth, is far too much fun," Victoria stated. Before she could get much further with her efforts to free her hands, Merdoc advanced on her, grabbing her shoulders and lifting her up onto her feet.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Merdoc boomed. Victoria's hard gaze faltered as she realized he'd noticed her attempts to untie her hands. He slapped her across the face once more, turning her around and pulling the rope tighter. "Where the bloody hell are good old fashion handcuffs when you need them," Merdoc muttered. Remembering something he'd learned in training, Merdoc grabbed the last remaining piece of rope in the room, looping it between Victoria's back and bound hands while she struggled against him, before tying it securely to the hook that held the shackle around her ankle in place. Victoria now couldn't move her hands up enough to work her way out of them. Plus, he was on to her, and would stop her if she tried. "You're pretty sneaky, Vic, making up stories to distract me. But, not that smart. Where would you go, Victoria? You're on a ship."

"I could live with a lifetime of imprisonment if I were able to take you down first," Victoria growled. Her only thought had been to get out and reach Elizabeth. Her sister, thanks to Stefano's brainwashing, might hate her now, but Victoria needed to get to her, make her listen to her. If only get her intrigued enough to search out the Black's herself before she was dragged back down to this hole to await their arrival, and her true punishment for betraying her father. "But, just so you know, I'm not making anything up, Merdoc. Ask him. Ask my father to tell you about a medical procedure that places a programmed chip into one's central nervous system. See what kind of lie he tells you in reply. You are pathetic, Merdoc. I mean, for God's sake, you had more backbone and talent as a common killer! Why don't you ask him about who Philip Kiriakis was!" Victoria yelled. Merdoc grabbed her by the hair, pulling her head back and producing a knife from his boot, holding it to her delicate neck. He didn't know what she was getting at, but all this talk about Philip what's-his-face and Chloe whoever was confusing the hell out of him. He didn't like such deep thought.

"I swear to God if you don't shut up..."

"That's enough," Stefano called from the doorway. He'd suspected Merdoc couldn't handle his daughter, and Stefano DiMera was always right. "Merdoc, you're dismissed."

"But, sir..."

"I said dismissed!" Stefano ordered. Merdoc released Victoria sharply, pushing her away before retreating out the door as he was ordered. Stefano walked up to his bound daughter, another guard just behind him. "You always were able to push everyone's buttons, Victoria my dear. That's why it saddens me so to have to do this to you."

"Whatever you have in store for me father, don't bother," Victoria spat wearily. He would take it a different way then she meant. No wound, no broken bone, no strike could ever sting her as badly as the sting of her sister's immediate rejecting of her. Stefano shook his head slightly, motioning for the guard he'd brought along to hand him something.

"Ah, Victoria, you know, even you can be broken. I had thought, that the daughter I raised would always remain loyal to her family. But it seems, a few moments with the Blacks, and you so easily turn on me."

"I don't give a damn about what you do to me, or what you keep doing to others. And I don't give a rat's ass about the Black family. I won't let you do to my sister what you did to me. That is all they mean to me. A mean's to an end," she half lied. Yes... that's what she told herself. But truth was... she felt it was her duty to reach out in any way to them. As if somehow, she could make up for a lifetime of torment by offering up even her own life to their cause. But either way... if it meant Chloe's freedom, it didn't matter to Victoria who benefitted from that. "Protecting her... shielding her from you... that is all I have ever cared about!"

"Such a noble quest my dear. Noble, but fool-hearty. You, and your sister, are mine. I will do what I please with your lives, and there is nothing you, or the Blacks, can do to change that. And besides... I made her, after all. She would not dare raise a hand against me. Even if it means turning her back on you," Stefano said with a satisfying grin as Victoria was unable to hid a cringe at the mere thought.

"You disappoint me, daughter. But do not fear. I'm a very gracious father. I believe whole heartedly in second chances. After all... I'm not quite ready to give you up just yet," Stefano declared. It was then that he grabbed Victoria's arm, and she felt the sharp pain of a needle puncturing her skin. Victoria cried out as the needles contents were injected into her arm and her father pushed her away.

"Merdoc's little temper tantrum has made me see the light. The most efficient way to regain your loyalties," Stefano started, handing the needle back to the man he'd brought with him and watching in delight as Victoria fell to her knees, the effects of the drug hitting her hard and fast, "is to beat the loyalty back into you. Sleep well, dear daughter. You shall be needing the rest." Stefano laughed, waving his assistant out and remaining only long enough to see his daughter slump helplessly to the floor, the paralyzing effects of the drug washing over her senses and knocking her out for the count. She didn't hear Stefano's evil chuckle as he slammed the iron door to her cell, sealing her alone in the darkness...

Brady lifted Jordan's black bag up, storing it in the overhead compartment above him. Their jet was about to take off. They had merely to bring on board the rest of the supplies Jordan had insisted upon, then they would be on their way to Ireland. They couldn't fly in to Dublin directly, but that's where Jordan was sure Stefano would be taking Aida, Elizabeth, and his crew. Their only worries now were, DiMera's plans to punish Aida, and whether he knew about Jordan or not. Jordan assured him that DiMera had no way of knowing he had teamed up with Victoria long ago, but John wanted to take as much precaution as possible. They would fly to another part of Ireland, finding some small airport, and then make their way to Dublin. John had just gotten off the phone with Bo, who had relatives waiting to help them into the city without bringing any attention to the new arrivals. And without connections from the inside, they probably wouldn't have been able to make it into the city without drawing attention to themselves. That was probably the reason Stefano was going by boat. He couldn't just outright waltz into the city with his legions of art thieves.

"Alright, that's everything," Jordan stated, seating himself on one of the plush couches. The doors were now shut, and they would taxi onto the runway momentarily for lift off. Brady heaved a heavy sigh as he slumped down next to his father, leaning forward and planting his elbows on his knees and burying his face in his hands.

"God, and I was actually hopeful just a few hours ago," Brady murmured. John placed a hand on his son's back, trying to give the only comfort he could at the moment.

"I know, son. Things seemed to be looking up when Aida contacted us. But... don't worry about it now, son. Just as you told Aida there was no time for blame, there's also no sense in worrying. She's strong son, she's not going to let DiMera get to her, and she certainly isn't going to let anything happen to Chloe."

"To hear you say such positive things about a DiMera, I'd swear you're not my father," Brady muttered. John chuckled despite himself as the pilot's voice came over the intercom, telling them to fasten their seat belts.

"It seems so shocking and wrong, doesn't it? But, I believe in Aida. And, after all, whether we want to admit or not... Chloe is DiMera's blood. Chloe could never turn like Lexie did. Not as long as we all believe in her, fight for her. And Aida... well, though my instincts tell me I can't trust someone raised by that snake... I just know she's the key to getting Chloe back. And, perhaps, the key to bringing DiMera down, once and for all," John stated. Brady nodded, setting back in his seat and adjusting his seat belt. Jordan turned his eyes away from the father son talk, training his focus on the laptop in his lap.

"You should have seen her though, Dad. Her resemblance to Chloe... it's scary. And, I know I can trust her. Those eyes... that's the only way to tell her and Chloe apart. Her eyes are so hollow, Dad. I could tell she blames DiMera for that. I think we can use that to end DiMera's evil, for good," Brady stated.

"So do I son. But now, we need to focus on what we're going to do once we reach Dublin. Bo's relatives are waiting for us, but they're not too keen on being much more assistance. None of them want to let outsiders in on the struggle with DiMera. I'm not sure if all of them even want to come up against him. But they do have information for us. And right now, that's what we need, information. Jordan." Jordan looked up from his laptop. "What do you know about Stefano's dealings in Ireland."

"I don't know much myself, that's why I'm working with this," Jordan replied, indicating the laptop. By now, they were off the ground, and up in the air, off towards Ireland. Jordan removed his seat belt, leaning forward and handing John the laptop. "The information isn't easy to hack into, but I pulled up some files for you. Nothing there looks to be much of a help, but at this point, we need anything we can get. It seems that DiMera's dealings in Ireland mostly have to deal with... well, to put it bluntly, killing for hire."

"DiMera's in to bounty hunting?" Brady questioned, obviously shocked. Of course, he didn't know why he would be. The man had tried endlessly to ruin the lives of the people he cared about. He was a known art thief, what would stop him from bounty hunting as well?

"Unfortunately, yes. Victoria's legion was trained for both, art thefts and bounty hunting. They generally co-inside. I just wasn't sure where he kept his other base. Supposedly, he left that part of the game awhile back. My guess is that's what he's taking the others to Dublin for," Jordan said. John nodded, but Brady didn't remain so calm. His face flushed with anger.

"He's going to turn Chloe into his next bounty hunter," Brady growled.

"It appears that way, son. But we have to have faith. Aida will fight Stefano. And Chloe... her memories can resurface. From what Aida told you, Stefano put her under the same procedure he preformed on Hope and I. Her memories aren't gone, just replaced by ones of his own choosing. You have to believe she'll fight him, Son," John insisted. Brady shook himself, reaching for the laptop.

"Alright, so, what's the plan?" Brady asked Jordan and John.  
"Play things by ear..."


	17. Chapter 17: What's In It For You?

Chapter 17: What's in it for you?

When Victoria finally awoke, she found herself to be in a small, dank cell. But then, she wasn't truly awake. She was in a complete daze, to say the least, thanks to the drug her father had injected her with. It seemed as if it took literal hours before the pain from the needle injection finally registered in her clouded mind. When it did, Victoria forced herself to concentrate on the reason for the pain, the reason she couldn't make herself move when she knew she had to. Her mind didn't register the door to her cell being opened. She didn't sense the presence of the two men, as she would have had she been in her right mind. Stefano smiled to see Victoria's eyes open, seeming to be so deep in concentration on the simple task of remembrance.

"Ah, you're awake. How fortunate! Well, fortunate for me at least," Stefano stated. Victoria turned her head slowly to the voice's source, for the first time realizing she was lying on a cold concrete floor.

"W...where..." Victoria tried to ask, but couldn't finish her desired question. Her eyes couldn't yet focus on his face, but even in such a state, Victoria knew exactly who had spoken. Stefano chuckled, obviously pleased with his daughter's disorientated state.

"Can't seem to focus well, daughter?" Stefano inquired knowingly. Victoria looked helplessly up at him, unaware of the young man waiting anxiously behind her father. "I suppose you wouldn't recognize your surroundings, since you are still very much under the effects of that powerful drug. Knocked you out for hours my dear! Long enough to get us the rest of the way to Ireland, into Dublin, and into my Dublin base. You've been here many times my dear, but never have you had to see it from within the confines of such a cage," Stefano said with mock disappointment. "You are in my underground stronghold in Dublin, Ireland my dear. You remember? All those lovely experiments and extensive training programs to build the perfect army of mercenaries? Why, you even trained here yourself for a year, not too long ago," Stefano stated. The thoughts didn't seem to register with Victoria. Her weak focus was now trained on the man behind her father. Or rather, the menacing pronged whip he held in his hands. Resignation began to seep through Victoria's clouded mind, her confused, unfocused gaze clarifying enough to show Stefano she knew what awaited her.

"Ah, you are quite the fighter my dear. I was rather surprised to find you awake. Most would still be in a state of utter unconsciousness from the dosage I gave you. Although, soon, you may wish you hadn't woken at all," Stefano warned. He waved his hand, signaling two more men to enter the small cell. They entered, each grabbing hold of one of Victoria's arms. She winced as the tallest grabbed her upper left arm where the needle had been plunged so roughly into her flesh. The two men hoisted her up, dragging her out of the cell. Her hands were bound together in the front by shackles and her feet bound together in the same fashion, but she was not secured to the floor as she had been before. Had she been in a stable state of mind, Victoria would have noted the place she was now in as a _literal _dungeon. Stefano's training base, as always seems the case with this man, lay below the earth's surface, but this particular area lay below that. Unlike the rest of the base, aside from the one dentist-office type chair surrounded by dangerous looking gismos and gadgets, there was nothing high-tech about the dungeon. If you disregarded the teched-out chair, one might believe they'd stepped back in time to a medieval torture chamber, a tortuous hell if there ever was one.

The two men dragged Victoria passed the teched-out chair, pushing her roughly up against a wide wooden board that was in the opposite corner from her cell. The board itself was slanted slightly at an angle, and the only other feature to be noted was the thick block of wood at the top. Victoria's hands were secured over that block, leaving her on her stomach and to be supported only by her bound hands, as her feet dangled slightly above the cold concrete floor. Stefano nodded to the third man, the anxious whip-wielding Merdoc. Merdoc stepped forward, grabbing hold of Victoria's collar and literally ripping off her shirt, leaving her in nothing but her black pants and bra. Stefano nodded again, giving Merdoc free pass to unhook her bra as well, leaving her back fully exposed to whatever tortures her father had in mind. Stefano signaled one of the other two men, who promptly stepped forward, a red hot branding iron in his hands.

"Do you remember when you were little, you used to love to attend horse races with me?" Stefano questioned his groggy daughter. Even though she likely could gather the strength for words, she wouldn't give her father the satisfaction of a reply. "I even got you a few of your own horses. Do you remember what you asked me when we branded them with our family symbol, the phoenix?" Stefano grinned, pausing dramatically. "You asked me, dearest daughter, if the horses felt any pain. I thought it only fitting that I finally answer your question truthfully. The best way for one to receive answers, is to experience the question first hand." Stefano waved his hand, signaling the man with the branding iron to step forward. The other held Victoria still, Merdoc watching gleefully nearby, as the hot branding iron was pressed into Victoria's skin, searing the desired symbol on the center of her back just above the waistline.

Victoria gasped in shook as mind numbing pain shot through her already dysfunctional system, but she would not allow more then that gasp to pass her lips. Stefano would take too much joy in breaking her to screams so soon. Physical pain was nothing... compared to the real torture that faced her; losing herself to the man she both loved and hated most. The man stepped back, pulling the branding iron away to reveal the new, phoenix-shaped red and black mark. Stefano waved the other two men off, leaving he, Merdoc, and Victoria alone in the dungeon. Stefano stepped forward, surveying the sizzling skin

"I do hope that cleared up any doubt, my dear," Stefano whispered into his daughter's ear. Victoria turned her head away, looking off towards the cell she had recently occupied. Stefano stepped back, placing his hand on Merdoc's shoulder. "I have other business I must attend to now. I'm putting, your... well being, so to speak, in Merdoc's hands," Stefano stated. He patted Merdoc's shoulder, turning towards the only entrance to the dungeon. "Have fun, my dear," Stefano called before disappearing out the large iron door, slamming it securely behind him.

"Fun," Merdoc repeated, an evil gleeful glint in his eyes. He stepped up to Victoria, taking pride in her helpless state. "Oh, we're going to be having lots of fun," Merdoc murmured.

"I take it..." Victoria managed to say, though it was almost so quietly that Merdoc had to strain to hear her. "That you didn't ask him." She didn't complete the full thought. But she didn't need to, for him to understand. He found himself smiling, for whatever reason. A cocky, victorious smile, that would have disgusted her had she been looking at him.

"Didn't have to," Merdoc stated. "All I had to realize is... I don't care. I don't care who Philip Kiriakis is, or who Chloe Lane is. I don't care if my name is really Merdoc, or just some meaningless label given to me by Stefano DiMera. I don't care who I am. I don't have to know my name to know... that I enjoy this life. That I enjoy seeing you in pain. I don't need to know... what my name is... to know that _I_ want to be the one to break you." He raised the pronged whip high, bringing it quickly down on Victoria's exposed back, whipping it painfully slow across her vulnerable flesh. Victoria winced, the effects of the powerful drug giving way to a new round of mind numbing pain. But still she would not make any sound.

"How useless am I now, Victoria?!" Merdoc spat, raising his arm and lashing out again, with much more force. "You're the one now! Your sister hates you. You turned your back on your family! You're the pathetic one, Victoria, not me!" Each accusation was punctuated with a blow more fierce then the last. Victoria took the beating soundlessly, a silent tear streaming down her beautiful face as she blocked out Merdoc, blocked out each lash of the whip, blocked out the throbbing pain left by the branding iron. Victoria's own thoughts and memories hurt her more then any of Stefano's torture methods could. As Merdoc had stated, she'd turned her back on her family. Her beloved sister hated her, even if her intentions had only been for the best. Her only friend in the entire world couldn't save what little was left of his partner Victoria, she was certain of it. Not even with the Black's help. She wasn't even certain that his life would be spared, now that Stefano had proof of his betrayal. Perhaps if Elizabeth had not turned from her so quickly, Victoria could fight. But now, with the memory of Elizabeth's violent slap and heated words of hatred, all hope within Victoria was gone. It was as if... in a strange way... Elizabeth had, in that one single act, given her permission for her sister's torment, without a second of hesitation. Stefano would have his way now. She wouldn't give him the screams he wanted. No... she wouldn't give him that. But what she would give... mattered so much more. The thing she wanted most in the world. What little remained of her hope. The small fragment that had survived the sorrow, connecting her to the life she might have had with her mother and her sister. Victoria would surrender that... but Aida Kristen Miller was too dead inside to care...

John shook Gabriel's hand, thanking him for his help. Gabriel, an old family friend of Bo's, had been the one to answer Bo's call for... covert assistance. Keeping a low profile in Dublin right now was tough. As Bo had learned from his visit, most weren't too welcoming to outsiders. But Gabriel, a more trusting member of the city, was very helpful, giving them a place to stay and as much information as he knew.

"I'm sorry I don't have more to tell you. Despite the beliefs of many of my colleagues, I believe anyone with the guts to take on DiMera deserves all the help, not to mention luck, he can get," Gabriel stated with a thick Irish accent. "It's getting rather late. I have a few things I need to take care of. My wife, Michelle will serve you dinner shortly. Please forgive the sparse accommodations. I only have this one room for you, but you also have a couch so one of you can sleep on that."

"Thank you, Gabriel, this will be more then enough. We're very grateful for your help," John stated. Gabriel just nodded, closing the door behind him. Brady tossed his bag down on the floor beside the bed, flopping down on the bed. John turned the only chair in the room to face Brady while Jordan took his laptop with him to the couch.

"So, we're here. Now what?" Brady asked wearily.

"I'm honestly not sure, Son. I'm gonna make a call. Bo asked me to check in when we arrived safely in Dublin, and I want to see if he has any new information for us," John replied. He took out his cell phone, frowning when he checked the power. "Dead."

"Gabriel has a charger in the living room, but I doubt Michelle would mind you using the phone in the kitchen," Jordan pointed out, not looking up from his typing.

"Very observant..." John muttered. He glanced over at Brady before he too retreated out the door towards the kitchen, where Michelle was preparing dinner for her unexpected guests. Brady sighed, kicking off his shoes and sitting back, his legs up on the bed with his back against the headboard. He studied Jordan for a moment as Jordan kept working on his laptop. Jordan had earlier mentioned that he kept detailed logs on the laptop, describing all of either he or Victoria's missions in depth. He then backed up the files on his own computer, and sent a copy to another confidant of his. "Blackmail in a box" Jordan had called it, although he honestly had no idea why he'd keep such incriminating evidence. Perhaps it was one of those "if I should ever go down, I'm bloody well taking DiMera down with me, damn it!" kind of things. John had asked Jordan if the information could be used to bring DiMera up on charges, to which Jordan replied "Not without sending Victoria and I to jail for life."

"I've got a question," Brady suddenly spoke. Jordan still didn't look up.

"What's that?"

"What's in it for you?" Brady asked. Jordan continued to work, appearing unmoved by the question.

"Do you mean, why do I work for DiMera, or why am I working against him to help you?"

"Both."

"Well, as to working for DiMera... I didn't have a choice. That's a similarity I share with Victoria. My father, one of DiMera's many associates, basically sold my older brother and myself into servitude to Stefano," Jordan stated. Brady nodded, satisfied with the answer. Jordan hadn't shown any reason why he couldn't be trusted. Actually, he'd shown little emotion at all, but, Aida had told him to trust and her, and that was about the only thing Brady could do right now. Trust in Aida's judgment.

"So, you're like Aida then."

"That's right. I despise the life I've been forced into. It's the same way with Vicky, we don't have a way out."

"So, if you know what Stefano will do if you try to leave this all behind, why help us?"

"You can bring him down, with our help," Jordan replied. Brady didn't seem convinced.

"I get why Aida hates Stefano. He took her away from her family and forced her into a life that she didn't want to lead, disregarding all thought of what she wanted. But you, you were forced into this by your own father. Why focus that anger on Stefano, instead of him?" Jordan sighed deeply, closing his lap top and placing it on the couch beside him.

"Do you have any siblings, Brady?" Jordan asked. Brady nodded, briefly remembering the look on his Tinkerbelle's face as he and John rushed out of the house after Aida's surprising, out of the blue, phone tip. "My only brother, Michael, didn't like being under Stefano's control either. So he tried to take DiMera down. But he failed. Do you know what happens to those that try, and fail?" Jordan asked. Brady didn't need to be told, he knew exactly what Jordan was getting at. "When Michael was on his way to see me one day, someone shot him. He was able to make it to my apartment, but ultimately, he bleed to death before I could get him help. Of course, it can't be proved the guy that shot my brother was connected to Stefano. But everyone knows who ordered Michael's death. Michael was the lead witness in the trail he brought up against DiMera. He wasn't even suppose to be out by himself, but Michael refused to be guarded like some helpless child. With him gone, the charges were dropped and Stefano again walked away free and clear."

"So in answer to why I'm helping you, I have only this to say. I'm keeping all the promises I made to Michael that night. Before he died, he made me promise I would continue his fight for him. He asked me to get myself and Victoria out from under Stefano's hand and put him behind bars. I wasn't going to make even him such promises. I'd grown to accept my fate by then. But... I made the promise, for Victoria's sake, and because, I knew how Michael felt about her. We've been training together off and on since we were little, although for the most part Victoria thought of both Michael and I as little more then trusted associates. Or maybe, at the very least, the closest things to friend's someone like us can have. But I knew Michael was in love with her. His love for her is what really motivated him to try and beat DiMera at his own game. Even then, I could see how much this life was killing her, and that was well over three years ago. So, Michael made me promise to get Victoria out, and get Stefano out of her life for good." Brady nodded, processing what Jordan had told him. Even in their brief meeting, Brady could tell how special Aida was. Or perhaps, how special she had been before Stefano tainted her beautiful, pure soul.

"So, you made an alliance with Aida outside of your partnership under DiMera?"

"Yes. After Michael's murder, Stefano stopped sending me out with Victoria. He didn't seem to distrust me, but he never included me in Victoria's missions again. So, Vicky and I kept in contact outside of the training base. That's also where the necklace came in. She always wore it on every mission so I could track her and back her up if need be. Victoria and I came to know each other as more then just partners. She's honestly my only true friend, now that Michael's gone."

"Your in love with her." It was not a statement, it was pure fact. For the first time since they met, Jordan showed real emotion when he spoke of Victoria. A few of his comments had been spoken in praise, admiration, or assurance, but it was clear to Brady now that Jordan was very much in love with Aida. Jordan hesitated. He'd never really meant to be so honest with Brady Black, but, Victoria had assured him that the Blacks were their best shot for rescuing Elizabeth, and maybe even extracting them from the retched life of servitude to the evil Stefano DiMera. Jordan nodded slowly, adverting his gaze down to his laptop.

"Yes, I am. I have been for longer then even I can tell," Jordan replied. "It's not the smartest thing to do, falling in love with someone who's in our line of work. I don't even think she could ever feel the same way. But, it's hard not to, you know? I've known her for so long. I know what she used to be, what she would have become had it not been for DiMera. The way she was... when it was just the three of us... We were just kids, but it was... a simple existence, at least in the very beginning. Although honestly I don't think the word "children" could ever truly be applied to any of us. Michael used to joke that we were all born old. I always just teased him, saying that was just his way of getting around lusting after someone so young. Michael was quite a few years older then us, you see," Jordan said with a small smile. Jordan himself was older then the 17 year old Victoria by 3 years. Had he lived... Michael would be 23 now. His eyes were staring off in the distance now, not really seeing the room he was in, or even really aware Brady was there. It was as if he was lost in a memory, long pushed aside. "That's why I want to keep my promise to Michael. I want to save that... that light that used to shine so brightly in her eyes," Jordan stated. Brady nodded, noting that Jordan no longer appeared cool, calm, and brave, but rather nervous, and worried.

"I know the feeling," Brady muttered.

"I only wish... I wish I hadn't let her get on that damn ship! She and I know DiMera very well, I should have known something would go wrong!" Jordan cursed himself.

"There's no use in blaming yourself now, Jordan. There's little any of us can do now, but wait. It's so damn frustrating, but we have to do everything we can to ensure Chloe and Aida stay safe."

"That's just it! Your Chloe Lane, she's as safe as she can be, given the situation. I mean... I don't mean to offend you. I know the situation for her isn't exactly... pleasant. Being as she has no memory of, well anything. But so long as she's continuing to live that fake persona that Stefano forced upon her, Chloe is safe from physical harm. But Victoria doesn't have that luxury! Stefano doesn't tolerate disobedience, least of all in his own family. I'm afraid of what he's going to do to her, now that he knows she went against him." Brady's brow furred in concentration. Brady too had worried about what DiMera would do to Aida.

"I'm honestly having the same concerns as you. There is no telling what DiMera's capable of. Jordan, I know you said you gave us all the information you had, but, think. Where in Dublin might Stefano be?" Brady prodded. Jordan had begun to pace. He hadn't even remembered standing, but his opening up to Brady had released all the inner fears and emotions he'd been raised and trained to hide.

"I don't know! I never had anything to do with the dealings in Ireland. Stefano kept me in Europe mostly," Jordan replied. He paced a moment longer, racking his brain for something Victoria might have mentioned to him in their many late night discussions. "Wait a minute!" Jordan exclaimed, practically lunging for his laptop. It took a moment to find the file, but he eventually did find the one he was looking for.  
"I remember now, that Victoria spent a year in Ireland, four years ago. She mentioned that the training base was located in Dublin. Here, this is what I noted about the conversation," Jordan said, walking up to the bed and handing the laptop to Brady. Brady read over it, quickly standing as he finished reading it for the third time.

"We have to show this to dad," Brady said simply, taking the laptop with him out of bedroom and into the kitchen where John was still on the phone with Bo. Jordan followed, a glimmer of hope finally gracing his once emotionless features...


	18. Chapter 18: One Step At A Time

Chapter 18: One Step At A Time

After more then an hour of the vicious lashing, Victoria was allowed back into her cell, to await whatever her father had in store for her next. She lay restlessly on her side, facing the back wall and leaving her backside to the cell door. Her hands were free, but she'd been stripped of any dignity she might have kept. Her black leather pants had been stripped away as well, the only clothing given to cover herself being a dingy, ragged white shirt that hung to her knees, and her underwear. Victoria took no notice of her apparel, or the immense pain she was feeling. That didn't matter now. Nothing mattered. As she stared unseeing at the dark wall in front of her, Victoria was left to think about much happier times. Well, she'd never really had what a normal person would call "happy times," but at least she had once had dreams. Dreams, finally laid to ruin by Stefano DiMera. And she had had friends. Michael and Jordan, the only people outside of her father and sister Victoria had ever come to trust. It seemed like such a long time ago to Victoria that Jordan came to her, telling her Michael had been killed. How it had torn her up inside, not being there when he... That night, the remaining brother made an alliance with Victoria. By the time of Michael's murder, Victoria felt nothing but loathing for her father. She'd finally come to realize what the word 'hell' truly meant, and it was Stefano that kept her in that hell. Victoria had quickly agreed to aid Jordan in any way she could. She always played the dutiful daughter. At times... like when Stefano had finally graced her with the ability to not only meet but get to know her beloved twin sister... Victoria would forget her hatred, and she would almost truly believe the lies that came from her mouth. Or that occasionally ran through her own head, an impulse implanted within her mind at birth. But she would always remember... remember Michael's smiling face. Remember sneaking away to watch the funeral from a distance, unable to go to Jordan as she had wanted. She had to make him pay... for removing such a wonderful soul from this world. Her world. But they didn't get very far. DiMera was always one step ahead, not even Victoria could anticipate all his moves. But, Jordan kept faith. He wouldn't fail his brother. Not again.  
It hadn't taken Victoria long to realize Michael had been completely and without a doubt in love with her. Hell, he'd been giving her that... _look_ since before she actually had a figure. She couldn't figure out how anyone could come to love someone like her. And the thought of being loved scared her so much she choose simply to ignore what she saw in Michael's eyes every time he looked at her. They didn't have to see each other that much. It wasn't hard to avoid him, although in truth, she valued the friendship so much it had pained her to not reach out the few times she could.

But then, came Jordan. Perhaps her one bright spot in the never ending darkness of her life. Once upon a time, Victoria had fancied herself with silly dreams, dreams she believed a normal girl her age would indulge in. A dream, of being Mrs. Jordan Winters. A dream, of finding her birth mother. Raising a family in Salem. Dreams someone like her could never, ever fulfill. But there had been hope, at least at one point in her life. When he would look at her, and she suddenly didn't feel like the filth she believed herself to be, there was hope, no matter how fleeting, that she and Jordan could escape the life of a mercenary. Of course, she wasn't IN love with Jordan. No. That she would not allow. Victoria believed that if she allowed herself to truly love Jordan before they were free and clear of DiMera, he too would suffer the same fate as poor Michael. That Victoria couldn't bear. She'd already lost so much, she couldn't afford to lose her best and only friend all because she couldn't control her own emotions. And now, it didn't matter. DiMera would win, as he always did, and, if he wasn't found out, Jordan would continue on completely alone. Victoria couldn't fight anymore. Elizabeth's harsh words had left Victoria with nothing to fight for. Victoria's thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the cell door opening. Most of her senses, though dulled or ignored, were back at least partly to normal. Not that the person was making any effort not to make their presence known.

"Go away," Victoria whispered hoarsely. It was rather hard to talk, but the effects of the drug had completely worn off, leaving her in a dark world of pain.

"As you wish..."

"Elizabeth!" Victoria exclaimed in surprise, turning over to face her sister. She immediately regretted the abrupt movement as a throbbing pain shot through her system, causing her to involuntarily cry out despite her pride from before. Elizabeth seemed pained to see her once strong twin sister in such a state, but she made no move to help Victoria sit upright. Victoria shook off the pain, forcing herself up into a sitting position, facing her sister. "Izzy, what are you doing here?" Victoria whispered. Elizabeth closed the cell door behind her, allowing Victoria to see that no one else was with her.

"I wanted to talk," Elizabeth said coolly. She leaned her back up against the bars of the door, watching her sister intently.

"You made your point pretty clear last time, Elizabeth, that you had no intention of hearing me out," Victoria noted.

"Well I'm listening now," Elizabeth spat, rather frustrated that her sister could still sound so arrogant, so much better then those around her even when she was sitting on a cold cell floor beaten and broken almost beyond recognition. "Why? I want to know why you did this."

"I did it for you, Elizabeth," Victoria answered softly.

"What?"

"I said, I did it for you. To protect you."

"How does selling your own family over to the enemy protect me!" Elizabeth demanded.

"You don't understand, Elizabeth. You can't... I know you won't believe me. Even though... you once claimed to trust in me, completely. You won't believe that your beloved father is anything less then perfect."

"Our father, Victoria, has done everything in his power to give us everything we want."

"No, Izzy. That's what he wants you to believe. It doesn't matter what you want. As long as he benefits, it doesn't matter. Look at me, Elizabeth. This is what Stefano does for his own entertainment. These marks," Victoria stated, turning slightly and lifting her long shirt to reveal the phoenix mark and the deep, red gashes left by Merdoc's whip, "these marks were caused by our father. He doesn't give a damn what he does to others, as long as he comes out on top!" Elizabeth was momentarily shocked into a state of completely stillness by the wounds on her sister's back. She swore she didn't even think she breathed, for what seemed like an eternity before pulling herself back into awareness. Victoria was once Stefano's most prized and beloved daughter. To think that he would make her suffer something like that... Elizabeth shook her head.

"You betrayed us, Victoria. I feel no pity for you, no matter what punishment father bestows on you."

"Would you listen to yourself!" Victoria boomed, dropping the end of the shirt. It took a moment to get her balance, but she eventually forced herself onto her feet, staggering up to her sister. A feat that no other person in her condition would likely be able to muster. The pain... it was almost unbearable. But this would be... her last chance. To make her sister see. To keep her from suffering the same fate.

"This isn't you. This isn't right. This is exactly what he wants! Can't you see, Elizabeth? Can't you see what horrible things he's done to people? You look up to him like he's some kind of god! Like the taking of innocent human life is something to be praised, something to be desired. That's not you, not the real you, Izzy. That's just how he made you! Elizabeth... that's not even your real name!"

"What... what do you mean?"

"Ask him. You look up to him so much, why don't you ask him. Why don't you ask him to tell you who Chloe Lane is," Victoria said.

"You... Merdoc, he said you... who are they? This, this Philip whoever and Chloe Lane. What do they have to do with you turning your back on your family?"

"They have everything to do with all this, sister. You're not Elizabeth DiMera. That part of you, was merely created for you by our father. You _ARE_ Chloe Lane, sister. You have to believe me. I've never lied to you. Ever. And I never will. I love you, so much, sister. So much more then I thought I possibly ever could... and so much more then I thought a person like me deserved to feel love. Everything I did concerning the Blacks, was for you. So Chloe Lane wouldn't disappear completely. Please, don't you believe me," Victoria begged. Elizabeth trained her focus on her sister's eyes, the only window to Victoria's soul. Elizabeth knew her sister so well, and vice versa. Victoria would never do anything to hurt her, but... the things she was saying, they just couldn't possibly be true! "Please, please tell me you believe me."

"No. No, I can't. You're lying," Elizabeth denied, shaking her head again and forcing herself to look away from Victoria's intense blue eyes. The truth that lay in them scared her. So what if her name was really Chloe Lane? That didn't change anything. She was still the daughter of Stefano DiMera, nothing would change that.

"Don't do this Izzy, please. Don't shut me out. You know I'm not lying to you. I never could. You know what I'm thinking, you know what's in my soul. We can't let Stefano win, Izzy. You have to remember. You have to remember who Chloe Lane is. So many people... they're counting on you, sister. So many people love you, need you to remember. Please. If you won't believe me, then go to father. Ask him to explain to you what I meant when I told Merdoc about Philip Kiriakis and Chloe Lane. Ask him to tell you who they are. Look into his eyes when he answers you, see if his reply is truth, or if I'm the one that's telling the truth."

"No. No, I..."

"Damn it, Elizabeth! You have to. You have to understand, this life you're so eager to live... it's going to kill you! Chloe Lane would fight for what she knew was right. Let Elizabeth DiMera fight for what she truly believes in," Victoria pleaded. Elizabeth paused, trying to block out her sisters reasoning, but failing so miserably. She looked down at her feet, almost defeated.

"What do you want me to do?" Elizabeth whispered. Victoria breathed a sigh of relief, reaching out and tipping her sister's chin up to make her look her in the eye.

"I want you to ask Stefano about what I've just told you. Don't say anything about what I've said in here, just ask what I meant when I mentioned the names to Merdoc. You decide from there who's the liar. If, when he gives you his answer, you decide he's lying... I want you to seek out Brady Black."

"What? No! Father will..."

"Elizabeth, please. You have got to get yourself out of this. I can only hope that the Blacks were able to pin point our location. Please, Izzy. Just, try and find him. See what he has to say. I know you'll make the right decision. Brady and his father aren't the bad guys, Elizabeth. That's father. You have to see that. Promise me. Promise me you will seek out Brady Black if you believe even for a moment that Stefano is lying to you. Promise me," Victoria pleaded, making Elizabeth look her in the eyes. No matter how badly Elizabeth wanted to turn away, she couldn't. She couldn't deny the truth that lay in her sister's eyes.

"I promise," Elizabeth whispered.

"Thank you."

"I have to go now. Merdoc wasn't too pleased to see that I was coming here alone," Elizabeth stated. Victoria nodded, turning back to the back of the cell and making her way back to the spot she'd occupied before. She was exhausted now, too tired from the beating and her talk with her sister.

"Best be off then. He can't fight his way out of a paper sack, but watch out, least he beat the living shit out of you while your bound and drugged," Victoria said sarcastically, easing herself down onto the cold floor again. Elizabeth smiled despite the bleak situation. Just like Victoria, her sarcasm got the best of everyone.

"That sounds like Merdoc," Elizabeth stated, opening the cell door.

"Izzy," Victoria called, her back now to her sister.

"Yes?"

"Remember to look into his eyes. Stefano can lie to most, but he can't lie his way out of everything. Let Chloe Lane tell you what you should do," Victoria stated. Elizabeth paused, before she silently left the dungeon, leaving her sister in the darkness alone once more...

"Well, it's a start," John stated when Brady showed him Jordan's laptop. "But, this doesn't tell us much."

"Maybe just enough. I don't know the area very well, but I'm sure Gabriel and Michelle will be able to help us figure this thing out," Jordan stated hopefully.

"What's with the damn riddle anyway? Couldn't she just tell you in plain as day English?" Brady grumbled.

"Vicky's a complicated young woman," Jordan replied, a sly smile gracing his lips. Brady was about to comment when the front door opened. Gabriel and another, taller man stepped into the small but comfortably furnished living room.

"Ah, good evening gentlemen. This is an associate of mine, William. He might be of some help to you three in your search," Gabriel greeted. John nodded, reaching out and shaking William's hand.

"William. I do hope you can be of some help. It seems we've found ourselves another clue," John stated.

"Really? Do show us, what have you found?" Gabriel asked. Jordan motioned for them all to come to the dining room table where he had his laptop set up. Brady stepped to the side as did John, allowing Gabriel and William to gather behind Jordan as he brought up the files.

"I remember, a few years back, before Victoria and I teamed up outside of working under Stefano, Victoria was sent to train somewhere in Ireland for a year. I didn't ask much about it, but I remember her mentioning that time. You see, I keep detailed records of every mission DiMera has ever sent either of us on, as well as many aspects and points Victoria has made to me over the years. She mentioned a secret, underground training base. When I asked her where it was located, she gave me this riddle," Jordan explained as Gabriel and William read over his shoulder. Gabriel read the riddle over twice in his head before repeating it out loud.

"'The home of Aras an Uachtarain be your first stop, then on past the house of the wildlife towards the final resting place of Oscar Wilde to your next mark. Travel onward to the home of Sir Alfred Chester Beatty's _objets d'art_. Cross the river Liffy lies your final destination. Home of the eight-foot tall crusader, there be the ashes. There be, the Phoenix.'" Gabriel recited aloud.

"Do either of you know what all that bull means?" Brady asked wearily. Gabriel and William stepped back, both nodding.

"Well, for starters, the home of Aras an Uachtarain, meaning the official residence of the President of Ireland, lies within the boundaries of Phoenix Park," William replied, this being the first time John, Jordan and Brady had heard him speak. "The house of the wildlife probably means the Dublin zoo."

"The final resting place of Oscar Wilde, a playwright, would mean Stephen's Green. He's one of the many commemorated there. The home of Sir Alfred Chester Beatty's _objets d'art _is obviously the Chester Beatty Library. I honestly don't get that last one," Gabriel said.

"St. Michan's Church," William stated. "You remember, Gabriel. The tombs there are world-renowned, because none of the bodies seem to show any sign of decomposition, even after centuries." Gabriel nodded.

"Ah yes, the crusader's one of the more noted bodies. Kind of morbid thing to note though," Gabriel commented. Brady sighed, throwing his hands up.

"But what do those things all have in common?" Brady demanded. Jordan chuckled, shaking his head and closing his lap top.

"Nothing. It's just a guess, but I believe all those places are located sporadically throughout Dublin. That's just Victoria's way of showing off. DiMera's like to make things complicated," Jordan replied laughingly.

"Oh yeah, that's real comforting," Brady muttered.

"No worries, Brady. The last parts the important part, I believe at least. You said St. Michan's Church houses old burial crypts? That would be a perfect place for an entrance to underground tunnels," Jordan commented.

"Aye. It would take some precautions, but Stefano DiMera has the resources. A snake like that would feel at home under once sacred tombs," William spat, making no effort to hide his obvious hate for Stefano DiMera. To tell you the truth, he wouldn't have come with Gabriel tonight, had it not been for the fact it was his old friend Gabriel asking. He didn't trust these outsiders much, and he certainly didn't trust someone that was helping any blood of DiMera's, but he supposed these people could use his help. He'd heard much of the Bradys, knew more then he cared to about DiMera, and therefore knew of the war DiMera raged against the Bradys as well as the Blacks.

"Alright, so we know where they are, or at least we're pretty sure. But, what will we do with this information?" Brady questioned. For the first time since William and Gabriel's arrival, John spoke.

"We take it one step at a time, Son. One step at a time..."

"Father?" Elizabeth knocked lightly on the door to her father's quarters, calling out timidly.

"Come in, Elizabeth," Stefano called. Elizabeth pushed the rather heavy door open to find her father seated at a large oak desk in the sparsely furnished room. Stefano motioned for her to close the door and take a seat in front of him, which she promptly did. "I thought you would be overlooking your new surroundings with Merdoc my dear."

"I was, before I..."

"...asked to visit Victoria," Stefano finished for her knowingly. Elizabeth nodded slowly, avoiding looking into her father's eyes. She shouldn't be doing this. Her father would NEVER lie to her! But then... she had thought that about Victoria as well. One or the other had to be, didn't they? "How did that go my dear? I know you were as upset as I was. Such a terrible situation. Almost doesn't surprise me I'm afraid. Although I knew the Blacks could be that spiteful, I didn't for a moment believe Victoria would fall for their charms," Stefano stated. Elizabeth watched her hands intently, which were folded in her lap.

"Yes, well... um, it was, very shocking to learn Victoria had gone against us. But, I wanted to learn the whole story..."

"And did you?" Stefano inquired, setting aside some papers on his desk.

"I hope so," Elizabeth murmured. "I really don't know, father. She said... she said she did it for me. What did she mean by that?" Elizabeth asked, finally meeting her father's gaze. He's features remained calm, unmoved.

"You're guess is as good as mine, Elizabeth my dear," Stefano answered coolly. His eyes showed Elizabeth neither truth nor lie. Elizabeth sighed, propping her elbows up on the chair arms, bringing her hands to her temples.

"It's all such a mystery. I mean, I know nothing about this life we live is very clear, except that we're a family, and family means trust. She broke that, even if she had the best intentions, which I'm still not sure what the hell they were," Elizabeth rambled on. "Father, there's... there's something that's bothering me. May I confide in you about it?"

"Yes, of course my dear. I am your father, you know you can always confide in me," Stefano stated. "Tell me, Elizabeth, what is bothering you?"

"Well... you see," Elizabeth started hesitantly, "well, it's not something Victoria said to me actually. It's more something she said to Merdoc," she half lied. Victoria had said the same thing to Merdoc after all. "Father, if I may ask... who are these people Victoria spoke of? Chloe Lane and Philip Kiriakis?" Elizabeth asked. Stefano sighed, seemingly bored with the conversation already. He shook his head, standing from his desk. He picked up another file from his desk, taking it with him to set himself on the front corner of his large oak desk where he could watch Elizabeth's reactions more closely.

"Does it really matter, Elizabeth? Will knowing who they were help put you at ease?"

"Were? You mean they're..."

"They're dead, Elizabeth. I honestly don't know why your sister would bring them up. They have nothing to do with us. They don't even have all that much to do with the Blacks or the Bradys. It's a mystery to me why they'd matter to her," Stefano stated. Elizabeth studied her father's demeanor carefully, searching for any sign of emotion either positive or negative. She found none of either.

"Could you tell me about who they are father? Please. It may not be important, but I'm curious now," Elizabeth stated. And that was the truth, she was very curious as to who the two people were. Just those two names themselves seemed to pull her to learn more, though she didn't know why.

"Ah, you always were the curious one, my precious daughter Elizabeth. Of course I shall tell you who they were. Though the information is so unimportant, I can see not knowing troubles you. I would never deny my children anything they wish for," Stefano stated. "Do you remember any mention of Salem?"

"You're hometown? Or, former hometown at least."

"That's right. Salem, Illinois. I used to reside there, until I was practically run out of town by the infamous John Black and his friends, the Brady clan. That is also where young Philip Kiriakis grew up, and where Chloe Lane's birth mother brought her when she was 16. Philip, the son of very rich and powerful parents in Salem, was very popular, very well known. Captain of both basketball and baseball, quarterback in football even. All around perfect jock I suppose. But also, sadly, a very mentally unstable young man. As for Chloe, from what I know she had a very hard life. Raised in a foster home, not with her own true parents."

"Like I was?" Elizabeth asked. She remembered nothing of her life before Paris, she knew only what her father had told her. And that was very little actually. She knew that she had been raised elsewhere in Europe, in the small town of Gratz, Austria by a foster mother and father. Stefano had explained that keeping Victoria within his care had been dangerous enough, let alone keeping twins. Victoria's first two years had also been spent in Gratz, but when the twins turned 2, Stefano called for the first born, and Victoria was technically the "first born." Stefano explained that it pained him not to have been able to take them both back to Paris. But, according to his story, Elizabeth finally came to live with him and Victoria in Paris on her 11th birthday, where the twins picked up training together. Unfortunately, an attempt on Stefano's own life nearly six years after her arrival ended with Elizabeth being the one to take the bullet, losing her memory perhaps permanently. Stefano had explained most of the scars were taken care of by surgery, but, killing two birds with one stone, he mentioned that the one she received to the back of her head when she fell had not.

"Yes, like you Elizabeth, only I doubt for the same reasons. Chloe was brought to Salem, two and a half, nearly three years ago now. It was my understanding that the girl had a very hard time adjusting. She was supposedly teased and tormented by most of her peers. You see, Chloe was different from them in a way I suppose. Loved opera, like myself." Stefano stated. That had been one thing Stefano had programmed Elizabeth to have no taste for. As much as he would love to hear her angelic voice, opera _was_ Chloe Lane, not his Elizabeth. "But, eventually, her true beauty was revealed to all. She was quite a young woman, I had the pleasure of meeting her once. Chloe and Philip dated you see. The young boy fell head over heels in love with her, although even I can see that she never returned such love. Which, leads to this," Stefano said, indicating the folder in his hands. "As I mentioned, Philip was a very unstable young man. His parents... well, I have from time to time wondered if dementia runs in the family. Let's just say, family life was very unstable, and the examples the boy was given weren't the best. I suppose it was only a matter of time before the poor lad snapped. So terrible that so many people had to suffer because the signs weren't noted," Stefano said, shaking his head.

"What do you mean, father? What did this Philip do?" Elizabeth questioned.

"Young Philip, murdered many of his family members and friends," Stefano stated bluntly. He handed Elizabeth the file folder. "A friend of mine sent me those newspaper clippings. The ordeal went on for weeks. First, with the murder of Jan Spears and her mother," Stefano started as Elizabeth pulled out the first clipping, an article on the Spears' murder. "Then, young Jason Masters fell pray to Philip's insanity. Soon followed by his father, Victor Kiriakis, his mother, Kate Roberts, and a few other unfortunate Salem residents," Stefano continued as each clipping was pulled out. Unnoted by Elizabeth, there were conveniently no photos of Chloe Lane or Philip Kiriakis. "The last article in that folder describes the fate of young Philip and Chloe. As you'll see there, Philip abducted Chloe from her home after he killed his mother, two fellow students, and a resident of his father's mansion. He then killed her, and turned the gun on himself," Stefano finished. Unknown to Elizabeth, all the articles were really real, except the last which he had forged long ago, in case such a situation came to face him. Still no pictures of either would be found in the article, only the headline "Teen Murder Rampage Ends in Suicide, Families Grieve" with a picture of the accident on the bridge underneath. "So you see my dear Elizabeth, Chloe Lane and Philip Kiriakis are dead. Why Victoria would bring them up is a mystery to me. She never resided in Salem, but she does know all about my life there. Perhaps it's just a last ditch effort to regain your trust. The Blacks will stop at nothing to tear my family apart, and it seems they have succeeded in taking my prized Victoria from me. Philip and Chloe are insignificant, something to confuse you," Stefano stated. Elizabeth searched his features carefully, searching the depths of her father's calm eyes. She nodded slowly when she found her answer; he was lying. About what part of the story, she wasn't sure, but there was uncertainty, she could feel it.

"Well father, I see I've certainly wasted both your time and my own, worrying about this. I'm afraid you may be right, it's all just another part of whatever plan she formed with Brady Black and his father," Elizabeth said calmly, closing the file and handing it back to her father. "I'm sorry I wasted your time father, with my ridiculous questioning."

"Nonsense, my dear. You're needs are very important to me. I understand your wanting to justify your sister's actions. You two are twins, bound together by a very sacred bond. I understand that his betrayal must hit you especially hard. Do not be afraid to come question me, Elizabeth. I shall always give you the answers you seek," Stefano stated. Again Elizabeth nodded, standing from her seat.

"Thank you, father. I suppose I am just very upset. This is all so strange, a new home, new life. Victoria's betrayal just makes things so much more difficult. But, as I said on the docks before our departure, we DiMera's are strong. And we always prevail."

"That is what I like to hear. Ah, my precious daughter," Stefano started, moving forward to cup Elizabeth's face in his hands, "you do make me so proud. We shall indeed prevail, for we are like the Phoenix, our family symbol. We rise from the ashes to claim victory and start anew once more." Stefano stated proudly. Elizabeth forced herself to smile admirably as she had once done so naturally, backing away slightly.

"Yes, father. I believe that we shall do just that," Elizabeth said.

"Well, if that is all, I have work..."

"Actually, there is one other thing," Elizabeth said before Stefano could turn back to his desk.

"And what is that, my dear?"

"I would like permission to leave the grounds. I know you rarely allowed me out into Paris, but I would like this to be a whole new beginning. I want to get to know my surroundings. I'd like permission to explore Dublin," Elizabeth stated. Of course, it was half true. Before everything with Victoria went down, she had been so excited about the possibility of exploring a new city, a new country. Stefano studied his daughter for a moment, before nodding approvingly.

"Of course you may, my dear. Whatever you wish. I wish you would not stray out of the safety of the grounds too long, but you may roam freely as you wish," Stefano granted. Elizabeth smiled as genuinely as possible, giving her father a quick hug.

"Thank you, father. I promise, I will not be gone too long. You mentioned we have a briefing early in the morning. I'd like some more time to get used to the new equipment as well," Elizabeth stated. She turned then, walking out the door. Stefano waited a few moments, before picking up his phone from his desk. "Merdoc. Yes, I have something I want you to do for me. Elizabeth is going up top to explore. I want you to follow her…"


	19. Chapter 19: Chance Meeting

Chapter 19: Chance Meeting

Victoria trailed her fingers lightly over her forearm, tracing a misplaced gash made by Merdoc's merciless whip. Her back was still very much ablaze with pain, but somehow, after her conversation with her sister, the physical pain didn't seem to bother her so badly. She somehow had a new sense of hope now, an emotion needed to relieve the spiritual pain that had plagued Victoria her entire life. That lack of hope, feeling of total failure and despair, would hurt Victoria more then anything her despicable father could come up with. But at least for a moment, her mind could have a few moments of rest. Elizabeth didn't hate her, that she could tell. And, although she was resistant, Victoria also truly believed that Elizabeth believed her, believed in her. She knew that Elizabeth would do the right thing, she just didn't know if her twin sister would be able to actually FIND Brady Black. The loss of her tracking device before the DiMera party could reach their destination diminished the newly rediscovered hope somewhat, but Victoria knew Jordan. She sometimes believed she knew him better then she knew herself, and she knew he had some of the best damn equipment money could buy. Well, if money couldn't buy it, it would be in the "best damn equipment to be stolen" category. And to think, Stefano had taken them to Ireland!

Victoria didn't really recall all of the first things Stefano had said to her after she woke up, but she did remember that much. They were in Dublin, his training field deep under Dublin soil to be exact. Victoria had spent an entire year of her life here, and just the thought that this location didn't even cross her mind made her blood boil! Victoria shook her head slowly, dropping her hand back down to lay beside her on the cold cement. Going so soft definitely did nothing for her so called natural born instincts for the life of a mercenary. Victoria laughed lightly to herself, although the action caused great discomfort to her backside while it rested gently against the back wall of her cell. She'd blame Jordan for her going soft once she got the hell out of this damn place, assuming she ever got out. His sweet, somehow boyish smile was enough to make one feel such touchy feely emotions. After all, a genuine smile was rare in her line of business. Plus, he was easy to beat up. A punching bag would be nice now.  
"I'm pleased you find your current situation so humorous, daughter," Stefano's voice caught Victoria slightly off guard, ceasing her laughs. She considered being her usual alert and guarded self was rather pointless. Stefano never let any information slip that he didn't want to be known.  
"Must everything always be about you, father dear?" Victoria cooed sarcastically. "If you really want to know what I find so tremendously funny, it's simple. I find my sudden urge for nothing more then a Big Mac, Supersize fries, and a large coke extremely funny. Really father, what happened to the great luxurious service deserved only by a DiMera?" Victoria sighed, leaning her head back and closing her eyes, trying to appear bored by her father's presence.

"Perhaps if you would learn to act more like a DiMera, you wouldn't be in this situation now, Victoria," Stefano replied coolly. Even without looking at him, Victoria could just feel a sly, victorious grin on his face. That worried her, although she wouldn't show it. Seeing her in a dark, dank jail cell alone wouldn't cause such a tone. That was reserved for much bigger wins.  
"Yeah well, after 17 years of doing just that, I've rather gotten bored with acting like a "DiMera." What does that name really mean, father? What do you think people should feel when they hear that name?" Victoria asked, opening her eyes and turning her gaze in her father's direction. He looked extremely amused.

"Why, respect of course," Stefano replied.

"Respect! Yeah, right," Victoria snorted. "More like fear. Is that not correct, father? People should fear the DiMera name, not respect it. Is that not what you taught me to believe. That I, as a DiMera, was to carry myself with dignity, as if I had supreme power over anyone and everyone who was not "fortunate" enough to bare the DiMera name?" Victoria spat.

"You were raised to hold you family in the highest of regards. You were raised to know the meaning of the word loyalty, to trust and confide in no one but the family that loves you. Which leads me to question, what happened to the daughter I raised, to the daughter I loved," Stefano replied coolly. Victoria looked away in disgust.  
"You don't know the meaning of that word," Victoria whispered. Stefano stepped forward, reaching out a hand and taking hold of Victoria's chin, turning her to face him once again.

"And you, my 17 year old daughter, you know what love is?" Stefano questioned.

"You never let me know what love is," Victoria replied, her voice barely above a whisper. Any man with even half a heart would crumble at the pure innocence the statement held, coming from the once ruthless, emotionless Victoria. You know that look on your face when you're a child who's just lost a favorite blanket, or a prized plaything, and you know you're about to start crying unless your mommy or daddy comes to your side to save the day? That's the look Victoria's eyes held, the pure raw emotion she allowed herself to show in front of a man she despised scaring her more then any whip, blade, knife, or threat of any other physical harm ever could. To any other man, the scene would be heart wrenching. But not to Stefano DiMera. It merely took the edge off his inevitable victory. Stefano pulled his hand back in a manner to show his obvious disgust. Victoria quickly recovered, hiding her true emotions and turning her face away once more. "What do you want from me, Stefano? I don't have anything left to give. You've made sure of that over the years, if you didn't remember."  
"Quite the contrary, my dear Victoria. I believe you have much left for which I would want," Stefano stated, his arrogant, proud tone returning once again. Perhaps Victoria still possessed the bold attitude he knew and loved so well. Victoria looked up at him, narrowing her eyes. He turned everything around so quickly, made her show so many different emotions, none of which she ever wanted to show ANYONE, let alone him. And all for his sick, twisted games he took so much pleasure in.

"Well, if what you want from me is to be a hit woman, art thief for hire, you can forget it. I'd sooner die then let you destroy what little self respect I have for my own life," Victoria spat. Stefano flashed that smile that made her blood boil, tipping his head to the side to observe his daughter's ever changing reactions.

"You know I do have the power to arrange that, Victoria. You of all people know my past history. Stefano DiMera always gets what he wants," Stefano stated. Victoria felt a slight twinge of guilt, involuntarily thinking of Michael. Stefano had never confirmed having anything to do with his death, but she had no doubt her father had been behind it all.

"I am not afraid of you, Stefano," Victoria stated firmly. No, she was not afraid of his idle threats of death. Not her own at least. No, the mere thought of Stefano putting an end to her torturous life seemed far to merciful an act for the deceitful man to commit.

"Is that so? Well, I don't suppose you are. But perhaps I know someone who should be," Stefano started. "Now, what was his name again? It's right on the tip of my tongue. Let's see..." Stefano pondered. Victoria watched him intently, wondering what kind of game he could possibly be playing this time. "Oh yes! Now I remember. Jordan! That's his name, Jordan" Stefano stated, waiting for the calculated reaction. Stefano didn't quite get the response he was hoping for. But her unwillingness to look him in the eye would suffice. "Ah, yes. Didn't know I know of your alliance with young Jordan. Foolish girl. You think you could ever hide anything from Stefano DiMera?" Stefano inquired. "I had rather hoped you would do as I asked, and stay away from the likes of him. Rather a bad influence on your better judgment if you ask me."  
"Jordan is a good man. He follows orders, despite what others may say. A trait you find very admirable," Victoria murmured. Stefano nodded, bringing his hand up to his chin stroking his beard in thought.

"Yes, I suppose that is true. But, I once believed that of his elder brother, Michael, and look how things turned out with him," Stefano stated. Victoria turned a now icy glare on her father, practically sneering at him.

"So, you really did have Michael killed then. You sick bastard," Victoria cursed.

"Now now, such flattery will get you no where. He was but a fool Victoria. A fool who let silly thoughts and dreams get to his head, and he paid the price for his betrayal, as will Jordan if he should ever try to pull at stunt like Michael did. And, you know my dear, given the circumstances, you are in no position to stop me." Victoria stood slowly, conscious of both her current weakened condition, and of the six men waiting at the entrance to the dungeon she had failed to notice before.

"That's where you're wrong, Stefano," Victoria sneered. "You see, father dear, if you ask me, you're getting far too cocky in your old age." Victoria stated coolly. "I will put a stop to this, father. You can count on it. Even locked in this cage... I'll find a way to stop you. After all... even you can't live forever. Eventually, all the "mighty" fall. And it seems fitting that I should be the one to see your life's end, since you were the one that ended mine before it began."  
"You think you're finally ready to take me on, Victoria?" Stefano asked, as if he had anticipated her turning on him for years. Victoria crossed her arms under her breasts, flashing a sly grin she'd learned from him.

"I haven't got anything left to lose," Victoria answered. Stefano nodded, satisfied with her answer.

"I had hoped, this day would never come. But I can see that you are indeed my daughter. You are as steadfast as I, and also as stubborn. So the day has finally come. The day that marks the beginning of yet another DiMera war. I wish it didn't have to be between father, and daughter," Stefano stated. He waved his hand, signaling the six waiting men to bring in his next surprise for Victoria.

"Well then, Stefano, if it'll make it easier on you... I'm not your daughter anymore," Victoria stated just as coolly. Stefano shook his head, tsk tsking his daughters choice of words.

"Oh no, that is one thing you can not deny. As your twin sister has, and will learn, you can refuse my name and my affection, but you will always be my daughter. DiMera blood runs through your veins," Stefano stated. Victoria turned her head slightly when she heard a loud noise at the entrance. Stefano watched Victoria intently for her reaction as she witnessed four of the men dragging in a huge bolder. The other two waited behind them, carrying heavily weighed down packs that looked as if they were made specifically to strap onto ones arms and legs. Victoria knew their intent immediately. Stefano had always boasted about how his first born twin not only could hold her own among the best of the best on the field, but in the classroom as well. Victoria had only two passions in life; one, she shared with both her father, and her sister, and that was opera. She rarely ever sang of course, but it was one of the few things that had ever brought her real pleasure.

The other was a more unique trait, although Stefano had been known to have much knowledge of the subject as well. As time permitted, Victoria studied ancient text. Anything she could get her hands on, in many different languages. It was a passion of hers to learn as much as she could about the history of world's civilizations. She studied ancient Greek scriptures, Roman tablets, anything and everything she could read, she devoured the information. But her favorite civilization of all times was most definitely the ancient Egyptians. Of course, as she had very little free time for such a hobby, she also used her passion as an advantage in strategizing. Victoria had once told her father, in a joking manner, that he should allow her to devise the training course for new trainees. One tactic she'd mentioned was this. Almost every ancient civilization had been built on the backs of slaves. Victoria had proposed securing a huge boulder to the backs of all the trainees. Then, weights would be strapped to their arms and legs, and they'd be sent through a designated course. Mostly, it would just be lugging the huge weight around a track or something of the sort. Also through water perhaps, it really didn't matter. Only the toughest could take a single step with such weight on their backs. That had been one of the many suggestions Victoria and her father had laughed about that day. Now, she cursed her inability to keep her mouth shut. Damn her twisted sense of humor to hell anyway!

"Gee, father, you gonna make me walk the gauntlet too?" Victoria spat dryly. Stefano walked up beside her, taking her arm and leading her towards the cell door, chuckling slightly at her question.

"I would think you were smart enough not to give me ideas, Victoria," Stefano replied. Victoria's face flushed with anger, and just as they reached the now open cell door, she quickly moved out of his grasp, grabbing Stefano by the shirt collar and pushing him up against the bars. The six men quickly made a move to advance, but Stefano stopped them with a mere raise of his hand. "No. Let her be."  
"I meant what I said, father," Victoria hissed, gripping his shirt tighter in her hands. "I swear, I'm going to put an end to your demented games, Stefano. You're days of playing puppeteer with innocent people's lives are over. Like I said, I've got nothing left to lose," Victoria stated. She pushed roughly away from him before allowing the other six men to advance to set her on her next little "trial of redemption" as Stefano referred to it in private. Stefano watched them drag his daughter out of the cell, a pleasant, pleased grin on his face...

Brady pulled his coat tighter around him, chilled slightly by the cooling night air. It had been dark for quite some time, but that hadn't stopped Brady. He'd needed to get some fresh air, have some time to think, time to breathe on his own. So he told his dad he was going out for a walk, and for them to call on his cell phone if their was anything else new. Brady hadn't intended upon any certain destination, but he inevitably ended up asking for directions to St. Michan's Church. He stood within view of it now, but dared not go down the hill and up to the front gate to inspect the surroundings up close just yet. As much as he would have liked to, going off half cocked and just blundering around would do Chloe no good. So he stayed at a distance, just allowing the cool breeze to calm his totally shot nerves. He could only imagine what Stefano would do to both Chloe and especially Aida. Knowing she was in there somewhere with Stefano DiMera knowing his own daughter had been working with the Blacks made him want to storm the place all the more, but somehow, he found enough rational sense left in him to refrain from doing anything stupid.

The past few months had been total hell for him as well as for the rest of Salem. The repercussions of Philip's psychotic actions would perchance never cease. The damage was done, many innocent lives had been lost, leaving the families to grieve. But those in Chloe's life especially. Unlike the Lockharts or the Lamberts or the Masters, the Wesley's had no closure. Until Aida's mystery call, no one had even known if she was dead or alive. Now, although they knew she was alive, Chloe was definitely far from safe. They, hopefully, had Chloe's location at least semi-pinpointed, but nothing could be certain. Until Brady could hold Chloe safely in his arms, he wouldn't allow himself to be completely sure of anything. Over the past few agonizing months, between dead end search after dead end search, Brady had replayed every happy memory he had of Chloe. Even many of their arguments. The night of her disappearance haunted him especially. Things had started looking up that night. One of the few things Brady had taken with him on this trip was Chloe's "Diva" Teddy Bear. He'd made a vow that night to return it to her, no matter what it took. It was a small thing, but it was something Brady just had to hold on to. The simple bear was his hope he supposed. Brady shook his head, chuckling lightly while silently cursing his sensitive, romantic side. Hell, he had the damn bear with him even now! The small token of affection was tucked away in his large jacket pockets. It was somehow a sign of security. Brady saw in Chloe's eyes the night of the school dance the gift meant a great deal to her. It was special to her, a part of his Diva, so therefore it was dear as gold to him. Brady put his hands in his pockets, his right moving around the bear and somehow taking comfort from it. It almost felt as if Chloe was really near him. Brady turned finally after a few more moments of watching the silent church to make his way silently back down the hill to head back towards Gabriel's home...

Elizabeth shivered slightly, both from the cool night air, and the disturbingly creepy crypt one had to make their way around to exit or enter the tunnels which lead to Stefano's underground base. There were a few other exits, ones with special doors that could be opened from within the tunnel but not from the outside. But St. Michan's Church held the only entrance. Just like the door leading to the catacombs under the DiMera estate in Salem, the door was time released. It would shut after Stefano or whoever was being followed entered, and not open again for quite some time, giving more then enough chance for a sound getaway. Elizabeth detested having to go through the crypt to get out to the surface, but she needed fresh air. She was feeling so many different emotions right now. Confusion being the most prominent.

Elizabeth knew beyond the shadow of a doubt that her father WAS lying to her. About what was the problem. She just got the feeling, like he wasn't telling her the whole story. And, Victoria's trying to convince her she was really Chloe Lane... it sounded crazy, but it made Elizabeth believe Stefano was lying all the more. She didn't really believe she was this Chloe Lane or whoever, not yet. She did however wish she could have seen a picture of her. Although, she guessed that if Stefano was in fact lying, it would most likely be fake information he shared with his daughter. Elizabeth had never known her father to lie to her, but then, she hadn't known him for that long. Not really, given she couldn't remember any of her life before coming to Paris. And then of course there was Victoria. Elizabeth had never known her to lie to her either, not that she could. One reason why Elizabeth couldn't deny the truth that lay behind Victoria's word was the bond the twins shared. Elizabeth didn't have to be able to remember her twin sister to know her, inside and out. It was just all so confusing!

Also, a few other things plagued the young woman tonight. Ever since she'd reached the entrance to the tunnels, Elizabeth had experienced this unnerving feeling that she was being watched, being followed. But she never heard nor saw anything when she turned around to look in all directions. No one could have seen her exited the tunnels. And surely no one from within the compound had followed her. So why was there a distinctive shiver running down her spine? She was now off church grounds, and was heading down a sidewalk. She'd only bumped into one other person, an elderly man out for a nightly walk. Elizabeth wrapped her arms tightly around herself under her large, slightly bulky red jacket. She slowed her pace slightly, still sensing that "being followed" feeling. She merely shrugged it off, however. Something else was bothering her, although it's source was unknown to her. Elizabeth had this strange impulse to turn in another direction, like she was suppose to be somewhere important right at that very moment. Where or why, she didn't know. All she knew, was that ever fiber of her senses was telling her to turn right.

Elizabeth looked to her right, seeing she was currently passing a small hill. Looking up ahead, she noted that the sidewalk she was walking forked, one way going straight and the other curving around the hill. _Well, couldn't hurt._ Elizabeth thought silently to herself. She picked up her pace again, concentrating on the sidewalk rather then where she was going in an attempt to shake that being followed feeling. She didn't see the shadow of a young men step onto the path from around the hill. Not even when she ran smack into his chest, knocking her flat on her ass and scaring the shit out of her.

"Oh my God, I'm so sorry..."  
"Well if you'd bloody watch where you were going..." Elizabeth cursed, still not looking up. Brady did a double take at the sound of her voice. It was dark, so even with her right at his feet, he couldn't quite make out anything about her, except that her hair was down, slightly wavy, and dark.  
"Chloe?" Brady nearly whispered. Elizabeth's head shot up, staring at the tall blonde man above her. That name again! She was going to say something, when the moonlight caught his amazingly blue eyes. Elizabeth was momentarily rendered speechless, becoming instantly captivated in the depths of those gorgeous pools of blue. Brady took in a sharp breathe, seeing his real Chloe's face for the first time in months. He reached down, gently taking her by the arm to help her off the ground. She allowed him to help her up, each never taking their eyes off the other. Brady released her arm after a moment, bringing his hand up to caress her cheek lightly with the back of his hand. Her brain told her to pull away, but she knew she couldn't the moment he touched her face in such a delicate, almost loving manner. "Is it really you?" Brady whispered. God, those eyes! They seemed to be searing into her very soul, she couldn't even remember how to tell herself to move for God's sake! Finally, Elizabeth managed to shake herself from her daze, taking a step back and shaking her head.

"No. No, my name is Elizabeth," Elizabeth replied, desperately trying to convince herself more then she was the handsome blonde man before her. Brady slowly reached out for her, but Elizabeth jerked her shoulder back away from the contact that had sent such a bolt of electricity throughout her body. "No! Don't touch me! Who are you? Why is EVERYONE talking about this Chloe girl?" Elizabeth demanded. Brady nodded to himself, deciding it was best to keep his distance, no matter how badly he wanted to take his Diva in his arms and never let her go again. According to the information Aida had shared, this woman before him didn't have the memories his Chloe Lane did. She wouldn't know him, or that she was Chloe. But, given her line of questioning, Aida must have been able to get to Chloe and try to let her know the truth. But, how the hell was he going to approach Chloe like this? DiMera's own creation. Oh yeah, 'Hi, I'm Brady Black, the son of your father's most hated enemy and I want to take you back to Salem with me.' Uh huh, that sounded real smooth. "Answer me, damn it!" Elizabeth hissed.

"I, um... I'm sorry. I didn't mean to... upset you..."  
"That doesn't answer my questions. Who are you?!" Elizabeth demanded. Honesty's the best policy, Brady.

"My name is Brady," Brady answered quietly. Elizabeth froze, anger fading to that dreaded confusion.

"Brady Black?" Elizabeth whispered. The man Victoria had pleaded with her to contact? A young man who was the son of her father's rival, and yet, a man her beloved twin sister had insisted only wanted to help her. A glimmer of hope flashed in Brady's eyes. Maybe Aida had gotten through to Chloe!  
"Yes, that's me. Brady Black," Brady replied, nodding. "And you are..."  
"Elizabeth DiMera," Elizabeth finished quickly before he could say what she believed he really wanted to, Chloe Lane. Brady sighed, that spark of hope starting to diminish.

"Chloe..."  
"No! I'm not Chloe! Chloe Lane is dead," Elizabeth spat. Every impulse her brain was sending her told her to turn around and run away to the safety of her father's base. But her feet wouldn't listen, her heart wouldn't allow it.

"Who told you that?" Brady asked, knowing full well who would have told her such a thing.

"My father, for your information. Look, I don't know what you want from me, or what you conned my sister into thinking. I'm sorry about Chloe's unfortunate death, but I'm not her, so you should just go back to Salem, or wherever it is you came from, and leave my family the hell alone. You've caused enough damage already," Elizabeth stated. She turned as if she were going to walk away, but Brady stopped her, gently but firmly grabbing her by the arm and twirling her around to face him.

"No, wait, please, don't go," Brady pleaded. He just found her, he couldn't let her leave! She couldn't ever leave him again. "Please. Don't leave. Stay." Elizabeth, despite her better judgment, found those amazing blue eyes again. They were so sincere, and yet, he seemed so frightened, like the idea of her leaving scared him. Elizabeth nodded slowly, signifying she wouldn't leave, yet at least. "Thank you."  
"Don't thank me. I... I'm only staying because my sister asked me to seek you out," Elizabeth stated. Brady nodded, smiling slightly.

"I had hoped Aida would speak to you about me."  
"Who?"

"Um, I mean, Victoria," Brady corrected. Elizabeth's eyes narrowed at him, studying his expression. He also had not released her arm yet.

"What do you know about my sister? Why did she team up with you, of all people?" Elizabeth questioned. Brady smiled softly, releasing her arm.

"So I could find you," Brady answered. Elizabeth just stared at him, almost as if in shock.

"But... I... I don't understand. Why would the son of John Black want to find me, Stefano DiMera's daughter?" Elizabeth asked. "Unless... you're trying to get to my father through me," Elizabeth added coldly. She wanted to believe that was the case. Any other option was far too frightening to consider.

"No. No, I don't give a damn about Stefano DiMera. All that matters is you. Please, we can't talk here. I want you to..."

"Elizabeth!" the call from behind caused them both to jump in surprise. Merdoc stepped forward, standing just behind Elizabeth and to the side. Stefano had instructed him to follow at a distance, but to only take action should something suspicious arise. This certainly looked damn suspicious to him. He'd watched the couple intently, glaring daggers at the young man ever since Elizabeth ran literally into him. Merdoc couldn't place the man's face, but he somehow felt he knew him, and he also knew he didn't like him being anywhere near Elizabeth. Brady practically snarled when he saw who had stepped up behind Chloe. Every impulse in his body wanted to reach out and strangle the son of a bitch. After all he had done, to his so called family and friends as well as to he and Chloe, Philip didn't deserve to go on living. "You were told not to stay out to long. Come now, Elizabeth, we have business to attend to," Merdoc stated. Elizabeth turned her head towards him, glaring at her idiot partner. Stefano had sent him to follow her no doubt. Or, knowing Merdoc, he would have followed her on his own. He had that creepy stalker vibe down pact. Elizabeth turned her attention back towards Brady, sensing his obvious hatred for Merdoc. Brady shook his head, turning his eyes back to Elizabeth.

"Merdoc, you go on ahead. I shall follow shortly," Elizabeth said. Merdoc moved to protest, but Elizabeth stopped him. "No arguments!" Elizabeth added firmly. Merdoc shook his head, giving the stranger another heated glare before turning around and stalking off. Elizabeth looked up at Brady, seeing a pleading look in his eyes. "I'm sorry, I mustn't stay any longer. My father will be expecting me." She too turned to go, but again Brady reached out, gently taking hold of her arm.

"Come away with me," Brady whispered pleadingly. Elizabeth froze. "Please. Don't go back there. Come with me now."

"I can't," Elizabeth whispered. She couldn't for the life of her figure out why, but she knew she wanted nothing more then to go with the handsome young stranger. She felt safe in his presence, secure. "I'm sorry, I can't." Brady released her, reaching inside his pocket and taking out the little white bear and a slip of paper.

"If you won't come with me now, please, at least take this. I... Chloe Lane would want you to have it," Brady said softly. Elizabeth hesitantly took the teddy bear from him, instantly feeling some kind of unknown connection to the simple, yet meaningful gift. "And this. It's the address where I'm staying and my cell phone number. Please, I need you to meet me somewhere where we can talk."  
"No, I..."  
"Please. Don't turn away from me now. Trust in me," Brady pleaded.

"Elizabeth, come now!" Merdoc yelled over his shoulder. He hadn't walked far, the strangers words had stopped him in his tracks. His blood boiled with rage, and he swore if that guy didn't get his damn hand off Elizabeth in about three seconds, he was going to turn around and rip his arm from it's socket. Elizabeth quickly deposited the bear and the address into her coat pocket.

"Alright, I'll meet with you. Tomorrow, at noon, if I can get away," Elizabeth agreed lowly, so Merdoc wouldn't hear. With that, she turned around, quickly jogging away to join Merdoc. Brady watched his Diva slowly disappear out of sight with the man whom he solely blamed for Chloe's abduction. His mind was racing. Part of him couldn't believe he had allowed her to leave. His feet unconsciously made a move to follow her, to drag her back to Gabriel's whether she liked it or not. But the other half of him... the rational half, knew he couldn't. Maybe, if Philip had not shown... But if Brady took Chloe away now, protesting or not, Philip would tell Stefano. And there was no telling what would be done to Aida before Brady could regroup to rescue her as well. Much as he wanted to save Chloe... much as he wanted to hold her in his arms, and never let her go... Brady couldn't risk Aida being killed because of his failure to think things through. No, he could wait. He had to wait. He had no choice. Tomorrow he could save not just one Wesley twin, but both.

"Tomorrow, Diva. Tomorrow, I'm going to take you home where you belong." Brady vowed silently to himself...


	20. Chapter 20: Twist Of Fate

Chapter 20: Twist of Fate

Victoria closed her eyes, willing off the unwanted desire to sleep. Thanks to Stefano's last little punishment, pain radiated throughout every muscle in her body, even muscles she wasn't aware she had. All her body wanted now was rest, but Victoria couldn't allow that, not yet. Her last escapade could not go in vain. Victoria had acquired two very important things while lugging that damn boulder around Stefano's obstacle course. The first, was knowledge. She knew both from memory of the compound and from over-hearing conversations while outside of the cell she now occupied once more that the guards outside her door were set to rotate in little over an hour. Three guards would take the current two guard's places. One of the guards she knew quite well, and though he was loyal to Stefano, he was loyal enough to her to not attempt to stop her should she try to escape. The other two would have to be dealt with, but at least Victoria could depend on no interference from Aaron. The second important thing, was a bit of wire. It would take some time, but Victoria could use it to pick the lock to her cell door. She knew that the heavy iron door that separated her prison from the rest of the compound was locked as well, but the lock would take no longer to break then her cell door lock. The heavy iron door could be used as an advantage. Hopefully no one would hear the sound of the lock being picked until she used all her limited remaining energy to push the door open. Victoria could rest a few more moments before she had to begin work on her escape. If she made it past the guards, she knew she would be able to make it out of the compound. Most of the new recruits knew only of the main exit, but Victoria knew about the underground tunnels which could be used for quick escapes. There were other exits, three to be exact, and the closest for her to access would be the tunnel leading up to the exit outside of the Dublin Zoo located within Phoenix Park. Victoria didn't know exactly what time it was, but she knew it was night, so she'd be able to exit the tunnels without being seen. Where she went from there, she didn't know, but getting out of this place was the important thing. She only wished she could get Elizabeth out as well, but Victoria believed Elizabeth's safety was secured at least for the time being. She couldn't risk spending needless time within the compound itself. Once those doors opened... she had to escape as quickly as possible, or she might not live to try again.

"I hope she listens and finds the Black boy," Victoria muttered to herself. It surprised her how different her own voice sounded right now. The fact that she could move her mouth to speak amazed her. Stefano's last test certainly hadn't been easy. Victoria was not about to sit around waiting for the next either. If she had to go down, she was going down fighting. Victoria rested another moment longer, before she willed her tired body to sit up and retrieve the wire. She pulled herself up to her feet, painstakingly making her way to the cell door. Victoria could only pray her father didn't decide to pay her another unwanted visit. She pressed herself up against the cell door, reaching around the iron bars to the front of the lock. Being so exhausted, it took Victoria longer then she anticipated to finally pry the cell door open. She pushed the door open, sending out a quiet prayer of thanks. One door down, one to go...

Brady silently pushed the front door closed, leaning up against it with his back. He could hear the voices of his father, Jordan, Gabriel, William and Michelle in the kitchen, but he refrained from stepping any further into the house just yet. He was still reeling from the night's encounter. So many mixed emotions raged inside of him now. One was relief. Seeing Chloe again had given him the clarity that his Diva was, although not the same, at least safe. Another prominent emotion was anger, at himself. Brady cursed himself for allowing Chloe to leave his side again, but he felt he didn't have a choice. As much as it pained him, he needed to gain Chloe's trust. She didn't remember him, or her life in Salem. All she remembered was that Stefano was her father, and she was expected to be loyal to him. As much as Brady had wanted to rip Philip to pieces then and there, he knew that couldn't happen either. Apparently, from the look of things, Chloe, or Elizabeth rather, trusted and knew Philip, or, Merdoc, as Aida had referred to him. Attacking her partner was no way to gain her trust. So, even though he wanted only to beat the shit out of his so called uncle and whisk his Diva away from the evil of Stefano, it would have to wait. Brady also could not put Aida at risk. He had no way of knowing where she was. But he didn't need to know that to know she was not safe. And she would become even more unsafe should Chloe suddenly go missing. So Brady would have to find another way. She had agreed to meet him, then he would gain her trust and get her the hell away from Stefano DiMera forever. Get them both the hell away from Stefano DiMera forever.

"Son," John called from the kitchen doorway. He had heard the door, figuring it was Brady. "Son, what is it? You look..."  
"Confused as hell?" Brady asked. He shook his head, walking over to the couch and flopping down on it, running his hands through his blonde hair. "I saw her Dad. I found her."  
"Found who?"  
"Chloe. She's here, Dad. I saw her," Brady stated.

"What? What the hell are you talking about son?" John demanded. He too sat down on the couch. By this time, the noise from the living room had attracted Jordan as well, though Gabriel and William stayed behind.

"What I'm talking about is... I saw her. I talked to her. We, um... kind of bumped into each other. Remember I told you I was going to go for a walk? Well, I ended up at that church, St. Michan's. I wasn't going to go in," Brady said before his father could yell at him. "I just... I just had to see the place. I didn't even know that's where I was going until I found myself asking strangers for directions. I just had to scoop it out. Well... when I started back, I decided to take a different path. When I came down the hill to turn onto the sidewalk, I ran, literally, into a young woman. That woman was Chloe, Dad," Brady explained. Before John could ask the inevitable question, Brady continued. "Yes, Dad, I let her go. Before I could get her to leave with me, Philip showed up. Or Merdoc, or whatever the hell they call that psycho. Even though Aida told Chloe to seek me out, she wouldn't come with me tonight. But, I did get her to agree to meet me tomorrow. I only pray nothing goes wrong..."

"Was she alright? Did she know you at all?" Jordan asked.

"No, she didn't remember me. Just as Aida said, she thinks she's Elizabeth DiMera. Chloe wouldn't know any of us, but Aida did talk to her. She didn't try to turn me away, she seemed... she seemed to know me, even though she couldn't remember me." John nodded knowingly.

"Perhaps as it was with Hope and I. Memory flashes perhaps due to exposure of something, or in this case, someone familiar. It's a hopeful sign," John stated. Brady nodded, leaning his head back and closing his eyes.

"I wanted so badly to take her away right then and there, though I knew she'd protest. I just couldn't risk it. Philip was there, for one. And even if I could have warded him off... I don't know where Aida is. I couldn't... if Chloe went missing..." Brady didn't need to finish the thought. Nor could he bring himself to say it aloud as he looked over at Jordan knowingly. "I just pray nothing else goes wrong. If something happens to her now, to either of them now, it'll be my fault... for letting her leave..." Brady murmured...

Victoria took a deep, calming breathe. She had succeeded in jarring the lock, but had yet to push the door open. It was her hope that at least one of the three guards would be standing directly in front of the door, so she could be bought some time. Victoria had to rest a moment first, however. God, if she didn't get somewhere safe to sleep... You had to hand it to him, Stefano sure as hell knew how to break even the toughest of opponents. Victoria waited a moment before she prepared herself to push open the heavy iron door.

"It's now or never," Victoria murmured aloud to herself. Summoning up all her remaining energy, Victoria shoved open the iron door. As luck would have it, the first guard was directly in front of the door. He went sprawling face first on the floor, while the second received a fierce blow as the door pinned him between it and the wall. Aaron, the only one Victoria knew she could trust not to interfere for the good of either side, had been standing in the doorway of a corridor a few feet away. The moment he heard Victoria's cry of anguish as she slammed open the door, a sly grin crossed his face, while he stood motionless, leaning up against the doorframe. Aaron watched silently as Victoria approached the first guard, already regaining his balance. Bringing her arm back, Victoria lashed, palm out to slam directly into his nose. He fell back hard against the wall, slumping helplessly to the floor, just as the second was able to push the heavy weight of the door off him and advance towards Victoria. This one grabbed Victoria from behind, pinning her arms, a tactic Merdoc had used on the ship. Only this time, Victoria had been put through too much hell to let the move get the better of her. Ignoring the immense pain from previous torture, the fatigue that would surely send her to her knees before long, Victoria pushed her shoulder into the guards broad chest, putting all her weight into the move and managing to flip him over her head. The guard landed with a thud on his back, while Victoria grabbed his shoulders to do a mid air twist, landing on top of him. She grabbed him, one hand on each side of his head, and slammed the back of his head back onto the cold, hard floor, knocking him unconscious. Satisfied that both opposing guards were rendered incapable, Victoria stood, facing Aaron.

"Lucy Lawless, eat your heart out. Nice move, Vicky," Aaron murmured.

"I could have used a little help ya know," Victoria stated.

"You, help? Nah. If someone can live through the beating Stefano bestowed on you and still manage to have the energy to push open that door, they don't need help," Aaron replied. Victoria shook her head, making her way towards him and the corridor which led to the tunnel exit she needed.

"He's going to ask you why you didn't stop me," Victoria pointed out.

"Of course. You know me, always thinking on my feet. Now get going, before I change my mind," Aaron replied. Victoria nodded, moving quickly passed him. "You so owe me. If he kills me, I'm coming back to haunt you." For the first time in what seemed ages, Victoria smiled as she started walking away, quickly disappearing around a corner. She gave thanks for at the very least being allowed some luck; she didn't cross paths with a single living person all through the path to freedom. She didn't slow down until long after she had reached the surface, greeted by the cool safety of the night air...

Elizabeth lay sideways on her bed, facing the bathroom door. She held the white bear tenderly in her hands, observing it from every angle. The simple, yet obviously affectionate gift seemed to mean so much to her, but she couldn't figure out why. It was, after all, just a stupid stuffed animal. Given to her by a very handsome man, that is. A young man that, just as the bear she now held in her hand, seemed somehow connected to her. It was so frustrating, not being able to remember almost her entire life. Up until just recently, Elizabeth could securely believe in everything her father had told her about her life. But now, now over a course of mere hours, she was left unsure, enable to continue trusting in every word the man told her, simply because he was her father. And now, after coming face to face with Brady Black, she was more sure then ever that Stefano was keeping something from her.

"You're lying to me, father. I just know it. And tomorrow, I'm going to find out the truth, once and for all," Elizabeth vowed. "And I swear, if I find out you are lying to me about who I really am, you're going to regret it."

"I do not think so." The voice from behind caused Elizabeth to jump nearly a foot off her bed, whirling around to face the door. She had closed and locked it, after giving Merdoc strict orders not to tell anyone about tonight, or she'd personally see to it he got a worse beating then Victoria had recently received. Of course Stefano would have a key. She hadn't heard the door being unlocked or opened.

"Father! What are you doing here?" Elizabeth demanded.

"Call this... a visit from a concerned parent," Stefano replied. He stepped the rest of the way inside, leaving the door open. "So, what is this I hear about a young, mystery man you are set to meet tomorrow?" Stefano questioned. By now, Elizabeth had stashed the white, Diva teddy bear under her bed. But he had seen it. Not that he would have to see it. Merdoc had told him about seeing the "mystery man" who could only be Brady Black give some small, white object to Elizabeth before allowing her to leave. He had been too far away to see what it was, but he knew she'd been given something none the less, and had made sure to tell Stefano.

"I have no idea what you are talking about," Elizabeth lied. Oh, that Merdoc was going to get his...

"I do not take kindly to liars, Elizabeth," Stefano stated firmly, obviously very displeased. "Young Merdoc informs me that you met with a young man tonight. Not only that, but he says you have plans to meet with him again tomorrow. Now, what I want to know is, who is this young man you are conspiring with?" Stefano inquired, although he knew all too well whom Elizabeth had encountered.

"My business is just that, father, _MY_ business." Elizabeth replied coolly.

"Ah, yes. Well, unfortunately, daughter, that is where you are wrong. Anything that concerns my children is of great concern to me. But, you needn't tell me whom you were with tonight. I do believe I can figure it out on my own. Would it be... Brady Black, perhaps?" Stefano asked. Elizabeth blanched, immediately adverting her father's intimidating glance.

"Father, it is not what you think..."  
"Oh? So you aren't following in your sister's footsteps by conspiring against me? Because that is what it looks like."

"I am not plotting against you father. I'm just trying to find out the truth!" Elizabeth stated.

"Yet you were not satisfied with the truth I gave you? That is very unlike you daughter, to distrust me so much you would go to my most hated enemy. I'm afraid this is very unacceptable. I can not allow you to be drawn into the same trap your sister Victoria allowed herself to be lured into. You are not going to be meeting Brady Black tomorrow, Elizabeth. I forbid it."  
"How do you plan to stop me?" Elizabeth challenged. "By locking me up just as you did Victoria? What kind of father does that to his own children, simply because they did not live the life he expected them to live. I deserve to be allowed to find the truth for myself! Even if that means going to Brady to do so!"

"I had expected you would say such things, Elizabeth my dear. I did not want to have to do this to you, but I am afraid I must. It is my responsibility to keep my children safe from harm, no matter what I must resort to. And the Blacks will cause us nothing but harm. Merdoc, Alison." Stefano stepped aside, allowing Merdoc and another one of the female trainees to step inside the room. They immediately grabbed Elizabeth, each taking one arm. "Take Elizabeth down to the dungeon and lock her up with Victoria," Stefano instructed. Elizabeth struggled in vain to get free as Merdoc and Alison began to drag her out of the room. That was when a breathless guard, Sam by name, came running up.

"Mr. DiMera, might I have a word with you please?" Sam asked hesitantly.

"Can't you see I am busy? Move out of the way, you fool. Elizabeth is being taken down to the dungeon to be held with her sister," Stefano stated. He delighted in Elizabeth's struggle to be released, and her cries of "Get your fucking hands off me Merdoc!", but the appearance of the young guard troubled him. Sam seemed nervous, as if he would be torn apart for being the bearer of bad news.

"Um... well, that's just... that's just it, Sir. Victoria... Victoria has escaped."

"What?! That's impossible!" Stefano boomed. Sam flinched, as if expecting to be beat down any moment. "You imbeciles! She's just one girl! One bloody, broken, barely able to stand on her own two feet girl! How could this happen? What happened to the guards outside her door?"  
"Well, Sir... Gareth and Vince... are dead. Apparently, Victoria picked the lock of both her cell and the dungeon door. Gareth received a blow to the nose that killed him, and... well I guess the blow to the back of the head must have been too much for Vince." It hadn't been. Neither one of them had been killed by Victoria's hand. Not that Stefano would ever know that.

"What about Aaron? Where the hell is he?" Stefano demanded. At this moment, Aaron came up behind Sam, noticing first Elizabeth struggling in Merdoc and Alison's grasp, then Stefano's angry death glare. "You! Where were you when all this occurred."

"I wasn't there."

"Where the hell were you then? Why were you not at your post?"

"Hey man, everyone's gotta take a piss now and then," Aaron stated. Stefano glared at him.

"I would not be so arrogant if I were in your possession. Sam. I want you to bring me the tape from the video surveillance of the dungeon level. Merdoc, Alison, take Aaron here with you to the dungeon. We shall hold him there until I see those tapes."

"Um, Sir..."

"What is it now?" Stefano demanded as Merdoc reached for Aaron, who did not show any sign of fighting.

"The um... the surveillance camera... it was destroyed... the tape's gone as well," Sam stated hesitantly. Stefano appeared to be about to blow his top, but thought better of it.

"No matter. Take them both down to the dungeon and insure they do not escape. If they do, Sam, it shall be on your head," Stefano warned. Sam gulped, but nodded, taking Aaron's arm from Merdoc so he and Alison could put all their attention on Elizabeth. "I will see you in the morning, Elizabeth my dear." Elizabeth glared daggers at her father until she was forced out of her bedroom by Merdoc and Alison. Stefano watched them drag his daughter and Aaron off towards the dungeon. This was definitely not expected, but all would be taken in stride. Stefano DiMera _always_ won...


	21. Chapter 21: Luck of the Irish

Chapter 21: Luck of the Irish

After she had cleared the Dublin zoo and Phoenix Park, Victoria finally felt secure enough to stop and rest, finding a bench to sit on. She was amazed she didn't instantly collapse on it. So was so tired... Victoria hadn't even been aware, until this very moment, that the human body could possibly be so tired. She could only praise God that it was dark and few were out. She could only imagine the reaction if anyone were to actually see her. She looked... well, she wasn't even sure if there was a word for how she must look now. Victoria had already startled a few people. She didn't want to draw attention to herself. She couldn't afford to draw attention, she just didn't know where the hell to go now. Her only concern had been getting out of the DiMera compound, she hadn't thought ahead of what to do after that.

"I've gotten too used to having Jordan back me up," Victoria muttered allowed to herself, leaning her head back and closing her eyes. She could just fall asleep right here, and not care if she ever woke up. Probably the only thing that kept her awake at that moment was the satisfying mental picture of Stefano's face when he received the news of her escape. Victoria smiled slightly, before she felt a hand on her shoulder.

"Excuse me." Victoria jumped in surprise, turning towards the source and preparing to defend herself if need be. Instead of confronting one of Stefano's men as she'd feared, Victoria came face to face with a pair of blue eyes, twinkling with a kindness Victoria had never known. The elderly woman in front of her smiled brightly. "I'm sorry, dearie. I didn't mean to frighten you. I was just on my nightly walk, and couldn't help but notice you here. What is such a young thing like yourself doing out here all alone, and looking like you've just survived a car accident? My word, you do look a fright, dearie." The woman's voice possessed a heavy Irish accent, and was very tender, naturally motherly. Victoria breathed a sigh of relief to find the woman was definitely no threat, smiling slightly at her comments.

"I can only imagine..." Victoria muttered.

"Good gracious child, you have certainly been through one hell of a night. You're bleeding pints!" The woman exaggerated. Truly, many of the gashes Victoria had received during Merdoc's lashing had been opened by Stefano's next task, not to mention her fight with the guards. "Poor thing. It's a wonder you're able to still be sitting upright. Come, come. We've got to get you inside and cleaned up."

"No, I'll be fine," Victoria assured. "I just..." she paused, spotting a pay phone. Maybe... "Would you happen to have money for the pay phone?" Victoria asked. The old woman nodded, taking out a small purse and removing a card.

"These pay phones work with these little cards. Pointless contraption, but I don't use pay phones much so I can't complain. Here you go, dearie," the old woman said, handing Victoria the card. Victoria smiled, noting her obvious distaste for such advances in technology.

"Thank you so much. If you don't mind waiting, I'll return this card to you in just a moment," Victoria said, trying to get up from the bench. Trying being the key word. Fatigue was beginning to win the battle, and her legs nearly gave out on her. Had it not been for the elderly woman's surprisingly quick reflexes, Victoria would have fallen backwards.

"You think I'd leave you out here all alone when you can't even stand up?" The elderly woman said, helping Victoria steady herself on her feet before letting go of her arm. The irony, such an old woman having to help the young, barely 17 year old Victoria in the simple task of standing. "Come along dear, I'll help you walk over to the pay phone. You look as if you'll collapse at any moment." Victoria could only nod, taking hold of the woman's arm as they walked over to the pay phone.

"Thank you," was all Victoria could say. She was thankful that the only person who had confronted her so far this night was this kind woman, who understood her appearance and knew not to ask questions. Judging by the looks given to her by the other few people who'd gotten close enough to notice how roughed up she looked, anyone else would have called the authorities. For all she knew, someone already had. The elderly woman led Victoria over to the pay phone booth, only letting go of her arm to open the door for the younger woman. Victoria stepped into the booth, picking up the receiver before sliding the phone card in the designated slot. She only prayed she was able to reach him, as she dialed the familiar number...

Elizabeth inspected the cell bars wearily. Before she and Aaron were rather roughly shoved into the dank, small prison cell, they both had been strip searched, to insure that neither would be able to pick the lock as Victoria had done. Elizabeth shuddered in disgust at the memory. Merdoc had been all too eager to carry out his orders to search her. Just the thought of his disgusting hands on her made her skin crawl. But then, Merdoc had paid for his eagerness. He'd made the mistake of letting his guard down while he searched her, leaving Elizabeth the opportunity to kick him swiftly between the legs. While Merdoc doubled over in pain grabbing his crotch, the other two surrounding guards had retrieved a whip, the same whip used on Victoria for irony perhaps, and cracked it once across Elizabeth's back before roughly grabbing her by the arms and hauling her off to her cell. Her back still stung, but it was well worth it none the less. Unlike when Victoria was held in the dungeon, guards were posted both inside and outside the iron door that separated the dungeon from the rest of the compound. Stefano had no intention of making the same mistake twice. Not that Elizabeth would have been able to muster the same kind of escape, even with Aaron's help. Capable as she was... there was still too much of Chloe Lane left for Elizabeth to ever have the kind of power Victoria had. Or maybe there wasn't enough left. Either way, he wanted to be on the safe side. He had underestimated Victoria's strength and determination. He would not make the same mistake with Elizabeth.

"So, what you in for?" Aaron inquired from his perch on the wooden plank attached to the wall that served as a bed. How hospitable of her father to provide sleeping quarters, Elizabeth had thought dryly upon seeing the thing on her visit to Victoria. Victoria had preferred the floor, undoubtedly to avoid the possibility of splinters, or the possibly rotting wood caving under her.

"I have a painfully curious nature," Elizabeth muttered, eyeing the guards hatefully. Alison, one of the two guards who'd been on watch duty since she and Aaron were dragged down here, had been one of her first friends upon her arrival to Stefano's camp in Paris. Of course, in this line of business, one could never really use the term friend, and now she understood why. If you found someone who wouldn't turn around and stab you in the back at first opportunity, you were damn lucky. And Elizabeth had never been one to have much luck.

"Well, you know what they say. Curiosity killed the cat," Aaron replied with a smirk. His sense of humor was not appreciated by most, Elizabeth included.

"What about you? What did you do to piss off the warden?" Elizabeth asked, mocking her father. Aaron chuckled, leaning his back against the wall.

"Ah, well I seem to have too kind of a heart when it comes to the ladies. Or specifically, ladies like your twin sister, Victoria. Now there's a piece of work, that Victoria. If you can live through the hell she's been through, and still remain sane, then you deserve more then just a break now and then. You deserve a medal." Aaron stated. Aaron was older then Elizabeth and Victoria, but not over 21. He wasn't born into this kind of life as Victoria and Jordan had been. No, he had only himself to blame for his career choices. Well, perhaps his father's dream of his only son taking up the family business, Shane and Shane's Manure Farm, had something to do with his decision to leave America behind and look for a life in Dublin. What he had found was Stefano DiMera. Truth be told, perhaps the only reason Aaron stayed was, for one, he had no where else to go, and two, if he had to get stuck working under someone else's supervision, it didn't hurt that his supervisor was the gorgeous Victoria DiMera. Plus, he had a knack for this type of life. He was definitely no John Black, but he wasn't as useless as that bumbling fool Merdoc either. Elizabeth nodded, looking away from Alison and the other guard to look over her shoulder at him.

"Victoria really has been through a lot, hasn't she?" Elizabeth asked softly. Aaron nodded solemnly, his usual grin slipping off his face.

"That she has, Elizabeth, that she has. Your sister is most definitely a one of a kind. A pure heart, forever tainted by the evil that is Stefano DiMera. Even I, merely another meaningless solider for Stefano's game of chess, can see that," Aaron answered grimly. Elizabeth sighed, looking down in shame. Although she could only remember six months of her entire life, her sister had been nothing but kind to her. Understanding of her eagerness to learn, and always willing to lend a hand in any situation, and listen when Elizabeth had a problem she needed to talk out. Like when she was first learning to use a fighting staff in one of the balance techniques. Most of all, Victoria was the only person on earth who could know what Elizabeth was feeling, even before she knew herself. They could read each other like a book because of the connection the twins shared. Or, at least Victoria could read Elizabeth. Elizabeth had been lead astray from her own instinct to blindly believe her father. When Elizabeth thought about the hateful things she'd said to her sister on the boat, she was filled with nothing but shame and guilt. She deserved to be here now, in this cage. And so much worse. Noting her quick change in mood from bad to worse, Aaron decided to attempt to lighten the mood. "Man, I'm starved. I think I'm going to end up eating my shoes, if I can't find a nice juicy rat first," Aaron joked. Elizabeth couldn't hold back a slight smile, although she didn't feel much better.

"Well, I don't think you'll be getting anything decent to eat while we're in this hell hole," Elizabeth stated.

"What's the matter, Elizabeth? Not taking a liking to the plush accommodations?" It was Stefano. Neither Aaron or Elizabeth had noticed his entrance. Aaron jumped up from his perch on the board.

"Finally! Room service!" Aaron exclaimed, back to his old smart ass self. "I'd like a toasted bagel, not too done, with cream cheese, one of those cool looking fruit platters with all those strawberries, blueberries, and what have you, some eggs, bacon, oh and don't forget the o.j." Stefano eyed Aaron wearily, noting Elizabeth's smirk at his comments.

"I had been considering letting you go tonight, as I have no evidence that you betrayed my confidence. But I believe I shall keep you in here until at least the morning," Stefano stated. Aaron merely grinned, pulling his arm around Elizabeth's shoulder, mindful of the gash.

"Oh well, you know I couldn't leave the little lady behind, Steffy," Aaron stated proudly. "Unlike what you've shown me, I know how to treat a lady."

"Ah yes, you're such a charmer," Stefano muttered sarcastically. "Elizabeth, my dear. Young Merdoc is in quite a lot of pain because of your little stunt. I am rather worried that his ability to produce children is forever lost."

"All the more reason to kick him," Elizabeth muttered. "It would not have happened if you'd had the decency to at least allow Alison to strip search me instead of Merdoc."

"If you had any respect for family, and had not gone behind my back to meet with Brady Black, then none of this would be necessary Elizabeth," Stefano stated.

"Respect?! What respect! You have no respect for anyone! All you care about is yourself!" Elizabeth boomed. She'd had time to think things over, and now, she knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that Stefano was evil, and she was a fool for believing him for so long.

"That is not true, Elizabeth. My family is everything to me. When I can depend on my family to give me the same love in return, that is."

"Love? Ha! You mean if they're willing to be your devoted slave!" Elizabeth yelled. "You don't know what love is, Stefano," Elizabeth spat, intentionally saying 'Stefano' rather then 'father.' Stefano nodded, as if a question had been asked that hadn't been.

"I see there is no reasoning with you. I'm sorry to say, you will pay for such comments. It pains me to have to punish my beloved children, but all will be done, for the greater good. Sleep well, Elizabeth. You are going to have a very... interesting day ahead of you tomorrow," Stefano stated, before he exited the dungeon without giving Elizabeth a chance to reply. Elizabeth backed away from the bars, slumping down on the wooden plank. All this... it was becoming too much for her. Her whole life, that she remembered of it anyway, had been a lie. Elizabeth, all urge to keep the dignity which she'd been trained to always uphold, buried her face in her hands, and cried. Despite all her lessons to always be tough, bold, and emotionless, Elizabeth cried, her body racked with loud sobs as she poured out the frustration of the day. Aaron, unsure of what to do, rested his hand on her shoulder, saying nothing and just letting her cry...

Jordan yawned, stretching his arms over his head. His lap top sat in front of him. He'd been typing up notes on today's events. He was the only one who hadn't retired to bed, although he knew more likely then not, no one was sleeping. Perhaps Gabriel and his wife were, but John, and definitely Brady, would not be sleeping, even though all three of them were exhausted with worry. Jordan sighed, getting up from the kitchen table to fetch a cup of coffee. He couldn't even attempt to go to bed, not with his Victoria out there, with Stefano DiMera doing only God knew what to her.

"If that bastard so much as leaves one bruise on her..." Jordan muttered, sipping his coffee. He'd long since vowed that the first thing he was going to do when he found Victoria was tell her how much he loved her, no matter what the consequences were. Love in their kind of business was unheard of, but Jordan had every intention of whisking Victoria away from life under Stefano's control forever should she give even the slightest indication she felt the same way. Well... he'd take her away from Stefano even if she didn't. But what life he took her too... that remained to be decided. Jordan sighed deeply, and was about to refill his coffee cup when his cell phone rang. He practically slammed his cup down, darting for the kitchen table where he believed his cell phone to be. He almost panicked when it wasn't there. The distinct ring seemed to come from the living room, so he dashed in there, heading immediately for the sofa. After throwing all the cushions on the floor, Jordan retrieved his cell phone. Only one person, outside of the people with him in this house, knew that number...

"Victoria?" Jordan asked, out of breath, both from the cell phone hunt, and anticipation.

"Jordan! Oh, I'm so glad I reached you!" Victoria exclaimed. She had feared she wouldn't be able to get a connection. Of course, she thought Jordan would still be in Paris, not right there with her in Dublin.

"Victoria! Oh my God, baby where are you?" Jordan asked, immediately asking himself why he'd called her 'baby.' She hated such names. He often used them to tease her. Of course, he knew damn well that wasn't the case this time. Victoria wrinkled her nose; this was no time for their games!

"I'm in a phone booth, just outside of Phoenix Park in Dublin. I couldn't stop until I was sure I could be safe... with Stefano, you never know where one of his goons is waiting. But, when I saw the phone booth, I thought I'd try your cell phone. Oh and Jordan? Don't call me baby," Victoria finished. Jordan couldn't help but smile.

"Glad to see you still have a sense of humor. Where exactly is this phone booth? I'll come and pick you up."

"What? Your in Dublin?" Victoria asked in disbelief.

"You doubt my tracking equipment?" Jordan joked, far too relieved just to hear her voice and know she was out of the grasp of Stefano DiMera. "Yes, Victoria, Brady, John and I are in Dublin. Now, tell me where you are so I can come get you."

"No, don't come here. I'm still not sure I'm safe yet. Tell me where you are."

"How will you know how to get here from there? I'm not even sure where Phoenix park is," Jordan stated. Victoria looked out the glass door of the telephone booth, catching the eye of the kind old lady, and smiled.

"I have my own guardian angel to guide me there," Victoria replied. Jordan was about to ask questions, but thought better of it. Whatever Victoria wanted... just as long as she got here, and he could hold her in his arms, then he didn't want to argue about some guardian angel. He merely sighed, giving Victoria Gabriel's address, which she wrote down using a piece she'd ripped from the phone book and a pen sitting beside it. "Ok, got it."

"Victoria, wait," Jordan interrupted before she could say goodbye and hang up.

"Yes Jordan?"

"I... I... um... be careful. I don't want to lose you again," Jordan said softly. Victoria's brow creased in deep thought, but she was far too tired to ponder it long. It would have to wait.

"I promise," Victoria said simply before hanging up the phone. Jordan breathed out a heavy sigh, shutting his cell phone and putting it down on the lamp table beside the sofa. Of course, be careful hadn't been what he had intended to say, but saying I love you for the first time over the phone in such a situation didn't sound all that romantic or heartfelt. Victoria turned to the booth door, opening it and stepping out. She handed the phone card back to the elderly woman, smiling. "Thank you. I don't want to impose but... do you think you could help me again? I need directions to this address," Victoria asked, holding out the paper with Gabriel's address. The old woman smiled brightly, taking the piece of paper from Victoria.

"Why of course, dearie. If it will get you inside and to a place where you'll get those wounds looked at, it'll be my pleasure," the elderly lady answered, looking down at the address. "Oh my. You know my Gabriel?"

"No... that's where my partner is staying I suppose. Who is he?" Victoria asked.

"Why, he's my grand son, my dear. Come come, I can get you there in no time," the elderly woman replied, taking Victoria's arm gently, mindful of her many cuts and bruises. Victoria nodded, allowing the woman to lead her off in the direction of Gabriel's house...

Jordan walked quickly into the guest room where John and Brady were trying to sleep. He'd been right, neither were actually asleep.

"Get up you two," Jordan said, a slight smile gracing his face. Brady groaned, sitting up in bed. John did the same, only without the groan of protest.

"What is it, Jordan? Don't know how to work a coffee maker?" Brady grumbled. He of course wasn't cranky because he'd been disrupted from sleep. Only, a very nice, very vivid fantasy of Chloe, which was a hell of a lot better then sleep.

"Very funny, Black," Jordan muttered, not allowing the comment to ruin his slight elevation in mood. Victoria was on her way to the safety of his embrace. He only wished he could rush out and meet her half way, but he believed Victoria would make it to him. She was no quitter. "I just got... a very interesting phone call." Now Brady was more alert and less grumpy.

"What? From who? No one knows your cell number but..."

"Victoria," Jordan finished. Brady's mouth opened in disbelief, as John stood from the bed to approach Jordan.

"Aida called you? Where is she, what did she say?" John prompted, in 'Soldier John' mode. Jordan rolled his eyes slightly as the thought came to mind.

"She's safe. She escaped from DiMera's compound, and she's on her way here. And, before you say it, don't worry. She won't allow herself to be followed or caught. She never makes a mistake twice," Jordan assured.

"What about Chloe? Is she with her?" Brady asked, he too standing up to come up beside Jordan and John. Jordan shook his head.

"No, I don't think she's with her. Victoria had no reason to try to get her sister to escape with her, I would think. Victoria's the one who crossed Stefano. Elizabeth is safe from harm as long as she is in her father's good graces."

"Stop calling her Elizabeth! Their names are Chloe and Aida, damn it!" Brady stated, frustrated. He had a bad feeling about all this. Something didn't feel right. DiMera had a way of finding out about everything. If he happened to hear of he and Chloe's confrontation... and, God help him, anything that happened to her would be _HIS_ fault!

"Sorry... after a lifetime of referring to a person as Victoria, and six months of thinking of her sister as Elizabeth... that's hard to correct, ya know," Jordan pointed out.

"I know... I'm sorry I snapped... it's just... if Chloe's not with her, and she's not safe..."

"Son, don't even start blaming yourself, especially before we know everything. I'm sure Chloe's fine. Stefano has no reason to hurt her. Whatever he's planning next, he needs her alive," John reassured.

"But you'd be amazed what you can live through..." Brady whispered sadly...

Victoria breathed a sigh of relief as the house came into view. There weren't many houses on this particular street, and along the way, the old woman had explained that it was the only brick house on the block.

"That grand son of mine... always made me so proud. He was quite the active child, he was," the old woman continued on, praising her grand son and his parents. Victoria shook her head, chuckling lightly. Normally, such constant chatter about one's relatives would bore her to death, but this woman's tales were quite an acceptation to the rule.

"Your family sounds wonderful," Victoria put in lightly.

"You sound like a young girl who didn't have a very stable, loving family life," the old woman stated. Victoria looked down at her feet as they walked.

"No, no I didn't. I've never even met my mother, and... well, my father... lets just say he's... a very evil man." Victoria replied. The old woman nodded as if she knew that already.

"I'm sorry my dear. But, if you ask me, his evil hasn't touched you. I gather you're a very compassionate, very pure soul."

"I don't think so," Victoria said softly. They were now only one house away from Gabriel's, and Victoria felt the need to change the subject. "I can't thank you enough for all your help. I don't know what brought you to me tonight, but I'm very grateful you found me." The old woman chuckled softly, stopping just outside of the boundary of Gabriel's lawn.

"Aye, the luck of the Irish brought me here, dearie. The luck of the Irish," she stated as she turned on her heel, satisfied that Victoria was now in safe territory.

"Hey wait!" Victoria called as the elderly woman began to walk away. "Aren't you going to visit your grand son? And you never did tell me your..." Victoria stopped mid sentence as the old woman began to fade, literally, into the distance. The fade was slow, increasing until the elderly woman's form was transparent, before she completely disappeared out of existence, nothing more then the memory of a ghost left behind. Victoria stood stunned for a moment, unable to believe what had just happened. Then, as shock wore off, a smile slowly creeped across her face. "Luck of the Irish..." Victoria repeated. She sent a silent thank you out to anyone that may be listening before turning back around and going up the steps of Gabriel's porch and approaching the door. Her legs had felt like jelly the whole way here. She was only reassured by the help of the old ghost, and had nearly fallen more times then she could remember. She knocked on the door, barely catching her balance and staying on her feet when the door was immediately flung open. Jordan stood before her, stopping himself from taking her immediately into his arms when the light from inside showed all of Victoria's visible wounds.

"Victoria! My God, look what that monster did to you!" Jordan exclaimed, rage apparent in his tone. He gently took her by the arm, leading her inside the warmth of Gabriel's home. He brushed past all the questioning glances of the room, ignoring Brady, John, Gabriel, and William, who had just gotten back in when he was informed Victoria was on her way, and leading Victoria into the guestroom where he Brady and John were to be staying, helping her lay down without giving her any room for objection. Jordan lay her down gently, sitting on the edge of the bed. He brought a tender hand up to her cheek, brushing a strand of hair out of her face. "Dear God. I'm so sorry, Vicky. I never should have let you leave Paris with that man," Jordan breathed. Victoria was rather shocked at his soft, tender tone. I mean, they were friends, the only true friend the other had. And she's always suspected... or rather she always just imagined some feelings there, because Michael had loved her. And because, deep down, she had wished Jordan... but the way he was looking at her... was certainly not just the look of a concerned friend. Victoria brushed the thoughts off.

"It's not your fault," Victoria whispered. "I'm the fool who got caught," Victoria added, attempting to lift his sprits. Of course, unlike most times, the attempt at humor didn't accomplish the intended.

"I should have never given you the opportunity to get caught! I mean... going up against Stefano DiMera so blindly... it's absurd! I... I don't know what I'd do if I'd lost you."

"Jordan..."

"Oh, come on, Vicky. You know damn well the only reason I even bother going up against DiMera is because I want you to have a normal life. You know I don't care about what happens to me," Jordan stated. In fact, she did know, she just never allowed herself to process the idea that someone actually cared for her so much.

"No," Victoria denied flatly. "You fight, for Michael." Victoria was more trying to remind herself of that fact rather then him. They both knew the truth. Jordan sighed, about to protest when Brady and John entered the guestroom, followed by Gabriel, William, and Michelle. Michelle gasped when she caught sight of Victoria. Being a mother who'd recently lost her daughter to a car accident, the young woman was over-powered by motherly instincts.

"Oh dear lord, look at you, you poor thing! Gabriel, I can't clean those up with what I've got here. She needs to be in a hospital!" Michelle exclaimed.

"No," Victoria protested. "I'm fine, really. It looks worse then it..." Victoria paused; attempting to sit up caused the materiel of her shirt to rub against her back, causing an involuntarily gasp of pain, "feels," Victoria finished. Jordan shook his head, visibly distressed by her pain.

"No Victoria, she's right, you need to go to a hospital."

"Jordan, you of all people should know I can't afford to go to a hospital! That leaves me vulnerable. Stefano will surely locate me there!" Victoria protested. John interjected before Jordan could counter.

"Jordan... as much as I hate to admit it, she's right. At least here we can make sure DiMera doesn't get near her again. Michelle, do you have all the things I would need to dress her wounds?"

"No, I don't think so. Not even any gauze," Michelle answered. John nodded.

"Alright then. Gabriel, William, will you come with me then? We'll have to go out and get the necessary supplies."

"Dad, I don't think it's such a good idea for you to go out in public..." Brady stated.

"You did," John countered. Brady had to admit, his father had him there. "Besides, unlike you, I won't be wondering aimlessly around the DiMera compound entrance. Now, lets get going. Michelle, you start cleaning her up as best you can," John instructed. Michelle nodded, coming to Victoria's side as John, Gabriel and William departed.

"Aida, what about Chloe? Is she alright?" Brady asked, unable to contain himself.

"I don't see why she wouldn't be. She hasn't done anything to get on Stefano's bad side," Victoria answered, pushing aside the rush of emotion the name Aida caused. When she noticed the momentary look of doubt in Brady's eyes, she became worried. "Has she?" Victoria prompted.

"Um... well..."  
"Spit it out!"

"Brady and your sister ran into each other earlier this evening," Jordan stated.

"What?" Victoria asked, stunned.

"I was out walking... I ended up asking for directions to St. Michan's Church when Jordan and the others figured out that was where the entrance to DiMera's camp. I was on my way back here, when I kind... ran into Chloe." Brady answered.

"Which reminds me, why did you make that riddle so complicated?" Jordan prompted.

"They're all exits from the tunnels Stefano uses to get to his underground compound. St. Michan's Church is just the only entrance. Now be quiet and let me hear the rest of this," Victoria replied sharply. Michelle couldn't help but chuckle, until she got closer to Victoria, pulling the material of her long shirt off her shoulder a bit to reveal a large, dreadful looking purple and red gash that more then likely ran down at least half her back.

"I ran into her, and we talked. I couldn't get her to agree to come with me right then, but she agreed to meet with me tomorrow." Brady stated.

"If she would agree to see you tomorrow, why wouldn't she go with you then?" Victoria inquired, ignoring the pain caused by Michelle inspecting the gash revealed on her shoulder that ran so far down the once flawless, creamy skin of her back.

"That bastard Philip showed up," Brady practically growled through clenched teeth.

"What?!" Victoria demanded. She shot up from her place leaning against the headboard. "Philip saw the two of you together, and you let her get away?! You bastard! He won't hesitate to tell Stefano about this!" Victoria practically screamed, all thought of the pain she was experiencing gone. Realization took it's place, a feeling she hadn't been able to feel before washing over her. Utter guilt, sadness, and hopelessness, she knew weren't her own emotions. Her twin was in trouble, and it was up to Victoria to rescue her. "God, I've got to get back there. I've got to get her out of there, before father does something even worse then he did to me."

"Wait a minute! You're in not condition to go anywhere," Jordan prompted, gently but firmly pushing her back onto the bed.

"Jordan..."

"No buts, damn it. Now tell us, what could be worse?" Jordan demanded. Brady already knew.

"He'll try messing with her mind again," Brady stated. "That chip.. that fucking chip... he has control over her as long as it's there in her nervous system. And it's my fault..." Brady seemed calm saying this. All thought of calm was thrown out the window when he impulsively slammed his fist against the wall, causing a few pictures to rattle. "Damn it! Why did I let her go?! It's my fault!" Brady boomed.

"Yes, it is," Victoria spat coldly, pushing off Jordan's restraining hand. No matter how weakened she was in her condition, she didn't care. All she knew was her sister was in danger. "And now its my job to save her."

"No," Brady growled, quickly coming up to the bed again and pushing Victoria back down before she could get up. "You are going to stay here and rest, and that is final. It's my fault that Chloe's vulnerable. It's me who has to go in after her," Brady stated firmly. Victoria was a bit taken back by his aggression. Rage practically radiated off him in waves. But not at Stefano. No, he was disgusted, with himself. Victoria sighed, regretting her earlier choice of words. She knew this man loved her sister, whether he wished to admit it or not. After only one meeting, that was already apparent. Victoria had a gift for reading people.

"You don't know how," Victoria prompted.

"That's why you are going to tell me how," Brady stated. Victoria nodded, admitting her own human fault. She wasn't a superwoman, and she most certainly was no god. She was in no state to go back into that place to retrieve her sister. She probably wouldn't make it to the front door without collapsing. No doubt, if Elizabeth was being held in the dungeons as she would imagine she would be if Stefano found out about her meeting with Brady, the security would be much tighter. And though she learned quickly, Elizabeth did not compare to Victoria in the slightest in the field of self defense.

"Alright, sit, and listen quietly," Victoria instructed. Brady grabbed a chair, turning it around to sit backwards on it, facing Victoria. He had calmed himself slightly, but Brady had no doubt he would go to his grave cursing himself for allowing his precious Diva to slip out of his grasp. How could he have been so stupid! He would rather have her hating him and not trusting him then stuck there, alone with the evil master-mind Stefano DiMera. The thought that he'd also done it to risk harm coming to Aida didn't cross his mind. Obviously, he needn't have worried on her behalf. "Alright... like I said earlier, all those places mentioned in my riddle are exits to the tunnels. St. Michan's Church is the only exit that can be used as an entrance. All the other doors will only open from the inside. It's a tactic Stefano would use if he needed to make a quick getaway. The exit I used to get away was the one located within Phoenix Park, outside of the Dublin Zoo, because it, and Stefen's Green, are the two unguarded exits. The Chester Beatty Library exit is different. Stefano uses that one to import and export things into and out of the compound. Have you ever seen the movie The Skulls?"

"No," Brady answered, not getting why a movie would matter here.

"Well, in one scene, the main character is following a guy with a briefcase to get a tape from him. The library in the movie had a restricted section, which only the sorority, The Skulls, could access that housed a secret entrance to a storage room for all the surveillance tapes. That's sort of what the Chester Beatty Library is to Stefano. He does store surveillance tapes there behind a bookshelf which is triggered by moving a certain book out of the way and pressing your thumb to a panel for clearance. But also, the entrance to the tunnels is hidden behind that bookcase as well. On the far wall, just as you enter the storage room, are selves of tapes in blue cases. When you pull on the one marked 'Phoenix,' it sets off a little blinking light and makes a buzzing noise, signaling whomever is on guard duty at that door to open the door so whatever, or who ever, is being brought in can get inside the tunnels. I can't be certain if the schedule I know is still accurate. It's been years since I was in Dublin, things might have changed. But, if I'm correct, someone is set to leave at 8 a.m. this morning, to retrieve the weekly supplies. The library opens at 7. What you'll need to do is, stake it out. You can't get into the storage room, because your thumbprint isn't cleared, and unfortunately, now neither is mine. You'll have to wait until you see someone leaving the wing. It's the West Wing. No one is allowed to go in, but I'm sure you'll manage to sneak past the desk clerk when you see someone coming out. You'll know it's one of DiMera's, since obviously no one else would be coming out of the restricted wing. What you'll need to do is, either follow him until he comes back to the library, or wait there for him to return and then follow him into the West Wing. Wait until he's opened the door to the storage room, before you jump him. Knock him out, and get your tight ass in that storage unit so no one can follow you in. The door will close directly behind you. Then, go up to the back wall, and pull on the tape I told you, marked Phoenix. I don't know how many guards will be posted at the door, at least two I'm sure. You'll have to take them out. From there, you'll follow the tunnel until you reach the fork. You'll need to turn right, so you can turn into the tunnel that will take you to the one that leads to the Phoenix Park exit. You'll turn left into it, and then you'll take that tunnel down to the dungeons. Normally, I would say not do this, but it's the one that leads directly to the dungeon areas. If you see any cameras, which I'm not sure if you will or not, disable them any way you can," Victoria instructed. Brady nodded, making mental note of every word.

"Alright. Anything else?"

"Yes. You're not going alone. If I can't come with you, then Jordan and John will take my place. And don't for a moment try to argue with me! I don't care if it cripples me for life in the end, I can beat the living shit out of you no matter how much Stefano tortures me, so no arguments. They're going with you," Victoria stated firmly.

"Fine," Brady said through gritted teeth. "Anything else?"

"That's it, I think. No doubt there will be extra security on the dungeons, so be careful. When you get Eliz... Chloe," Victoria corrected. Getting used to their proper names was so strange. "When you reach Chloe, get her out of there as quickly as possible. Go back up the way you came, but instead of turning right back onto the tunnel that will lead back to the library, keep going straight. That will lead you to the Phoenix Park exit. Have Gabriel waiting there outside of the Dublin Zoo with a car to get you guys out of there quickly," Victoria finished just as John returned with all the supplies he would need to fix up Victoria.

"What's going on here?" John asked, sensing the strained mood. Jordan sat in complete silence, just marveling in the wonder that was his Victoria. She never failed to amaze. Jordan knew if Victoria thought she had any say in it, she wouldn't be telling Brady all this, she'd just be doing it herself. John set down the supplies, motioning for Jordan to move out of the way so he could come up beside Victoria on the bed.

"Victoria has a plan to get Chloe out of Stefano's compound," Jordan answered.

"Stefano may know I talked with Chloe, Dad. We have to get her out of there now, before he can do any more harm to her," Brady stated. John just nodded, focusing on the problem at hand; bandaging up Victoria.

"Alright. You can tell me all about it in a minute. But now, out you two. First, we have to get Victoria here fixed up so none of these get infected," John stated. Brady nodded, moving back and leaving the room. Jordan gave Victoria's hand a reassuring squeeze, resisting the urge to lean down and kiss her forehead, before following Brady out of the guestroom. John and Michelle helped Victoria set up so her ragged shirt could be removed, leaving access to her back. Even John gasped in surprise and horror as Victoria's back was revealed. Michelle only noticed the deep, purple, black and red gashes lined sporadically across her back. John, however, first noticed the phoenix symbol which had been cruelly burned into Victoria's flesh with a branding iron. "Damn him," John cursed under his breath. "Damn that bastard to hell. What kind of monster could do something like this to his own child?"

"Father cares nothing for flesh and blood, if they aren't willing to bow down to his every command," Victoria commented dryly. John shook his head, silently vowing to make DiMera pay for all the pain he'd caused, to Victoria and to his own entire family. Their was silence while he and Michelle set to work cleaning and bandaging the gashes. Much to Victoria's dismay, one gash was so severe, John had to take needle and thread to attempt stitches. It was crude, yes, but the tactic worked long before there were huge, teched-out hospitals, and it certainly worked then. It was just a hell of a lot more painful this way. Finally, free of all clothing because, in Victoria's words, they were "fucking pointless, I don't have anything to hide and clothing is annoying as hell when your backs' a human tic tac toe board," Victoria laid gently back against the bed, allowing Michelle to cover her gently with a soft, cozy comforter.

"Here dear, drink this. It's an old remedy of the family's, it will help with the pain and allow you to sleep," Michelle instructed. Victoria sat up a bit to drink the tea, wrinkling her nose in disgust at the awful taste. She barely managed to keep the stuff down.

"Yuck! What's in that stuff?" Victoria asked. Michelle chuckled, setting the cup aside.

"Family secret," Michelle answered, sitting down in a chair beside the bed. She felt the need to sit at Victoria's bedside. Victoria was the same age her daughter would have been, had she not died only a year before. Victoria sighed, settling herself in the most comfortable position she could manage, given her injuries. Fatigue and a will to sleep off the pain began to take over her body. But, before she fell asleep, she noticed a picture on the wall that caught her eye.

"Who's that?" Victoria asked softly. Michelle looked up at the picture, which was slightly crooked thanks to Brady's outburst earlier.

"Oh, her? That would be Gabriel's grandmother. Amazing woman, Agnes was. She had a heart of gold. She would have adored you, dear. She loved everything and everyone."

"What happened to her?"

"She died, oh, nearly four years ago. Stroke, the doctors said. She died in her sleep at least, so we know she didn't suffer. Oh, Agnes was one of a kind. She dreamed of visiting the States. In fact, I believe many, many years ago, long before even her time, a few relatives of hers achieved that goal. Why, I do believe they settled in the very place your friends the Blacks come from! Salem, that's right, Salem, Illinois. That was where Agnes longed to go. Poor thing, never made it there. We all miss her very much," Michelle continued. Victoria smiled slightly at the picture of the elderly woman, who's blue eyes sparkled with a kindness Victoria had never known until tonight.

"Luck of the Irish..." Victoria murmured, before welcomed sleep finally took over her tired form...


	22. Chapter 22: Aida

Chapter 22: Aida

(Quick author's note: I never did any research on the Chester Library aside from finding it's name. I have no idea if it's an actual, real library that's open to the public. Just go with it... does it really matter:P At least I did try my best to find a real place...)

Victoria's eyes fluttered open instinctively when she felt someone touch her cheek, instantly alert and nearly sitting up despite the amount of pain she was still in, and the wondrous effects of the herbal drink Michelle had given her. She couldn't really feel safe, not even here surrounded by people she trusted. Every instinct in her body told her to never let her guard down, no matter what. Jordan smiled slightly; even in such a state, Victoria was a true wonder to behold.

"I see your still your good old self," Jordan said with a grin. Victoria relaxed, allowing herself to smile as well. She made a mental note to remember how good seeing Jordan's face first thing in the morning felt. At least, she thought it was morning.

"Yep, still me, just with a new, less attractive outer exterior," Victoria stated, although with humor and not grimly. Jordan's smile faded, replaced with a look of worry.

"Are you in any pain? Michelle has more of that herbal stuff, if you need it. Anything you need, tell me," Jordan said sincerely. Victoria smiled brightly, reaching out to take his hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze.

"Always were such a worry wart. I'm fine Jordan, honest. Like I said, looks worse then it feels."

"Oh come on Vicky, I know that's bullshit. You were branded with a branding iron, for God's sake!" Victoria winced slightly at the reminder. She probably wouldn't have too many scars from this experience, although the whip lashes were certainly good candidates. Proper care and a real doctor's visit could probably keep the scaring to a minimum. But that one... She was almost sure that mark would be on her forever, no matter advances in surgery techniques. Not really because something such as that couldn't be removed, she believed anything was possible if you coughed up enough dough. But mostly, the belief was because Stefano DiMera had put it there, with the intention of it being her eternal reminder. Even if it didn't leave a visible permanent mark... it would always be there, if only in her mind.

"Never mind about me, alright Jor? I'm still breathing, which is something I'm proud of. I honestly wasn't sure for awhile there. The main concern is getting my sister out of that hell hole before Stefano does to her what he did to me, or worse. What time is it? Are you guys set up and ready?" Victoria questioned, changing the subject. Jordan nodded, reaching over to the table beside the bed to retrieve the glass of water he'd brought.

"Yes, we're ready. It's 6 a.m., the library opens in another hour. It only takes a few minutes to get there from here. Gabriel will leave in awhile with the car as well to wait outside of the Dublin Zoo. Everything's set up, we're just waiting now. Here, drink this," Jordan answered, offering her the glass of water. Victoria accepted it, hungrily gulping down half the glass in one breathe. "Hey, slow down! Damn, I didn't realize you were that thirsty or I would have woken you hours ago." Victoria smiled, gulping down the last of her water. She couldn't help but notice how the simple act of drinking was even painful. Damn Stefano...

"You just be lucky I'm not cranky like I usually am when I get woke up in the morning," Victoria commented, handing him the empty glass. Jordan chuckled, replacing it on the side table.

"Ah well, I always thought you were amazingly sexy when you first wake up in the morning," Jordan stated, without thinking. For perhaps the first time in her life, the cool, confident Victoria blushed. Jordan however blanched a pale white when he'd realized he'd spoken out loud. True, he and Victoria had always been able to say anything around each other, but that was without the strings of complicated feelings attached. "Um, I mean... you know I've always thought all that make up you girls put on is pointless, and the time you spend on your hair and all that," Jordan attempted to recover.

"Jordan, I never wear make up, and spend all of two seconds brushing my hair," Victoria pointed out. Seeing him so nervous for a change was quite a turn on. She rather liked the shy side of Jordan. Of course, there was never a side of Jordan she didn't like. Now that she could at least believe she was free of DiMera, she had more time to think about her true feelings for him. Yes, she'd once wished she could get away from Stefano forever and marry Jordan, settle down, and have a family, but that had always just been a silly little dream, something to keep her feeling at least partly normal. It was only Jordan in such fantasies because she believed he'd be the only person in the world that might actually have the ability to love the real her. Or at least, she'd always told herself that was the only reason she allowed herself such thoughts.

"Oh well, I meant, uh... I meant... you know, like with your hair all over the place, and the fact that. Well, you know, you're all... disheveled and groggy, and you always look like you're not really awake first thing in the morning. It's cute, seeing you so... Oh hell Victoria, you're so enjoying this aren't you? You know you're damn gorgeous, especially when you're yelling, screaming, or being the bad ass bitch that you were born to be," Jordan stated. Victoria's smile faded slightly, her shattered self esteem not allowing such compliments. She looked down sadly at her arm, which was bandaged.

"Am I gorgeous even now?" Victoria asked in near whisper. Jordan reached out, gently tilting her chin up to meet his gaze.

"Yes Victoria, even now. And always. You'll always be beautiful to me," Jordan said, with complete sincerity. She'd still be amazing to him, even if she were scared from head to toe, bald, and wearing a ugly brown burlap sack. Ok, so she'd be a little hard to look at... the really sad thing about all this, was it had taken him nearly losing her to realize the depth of what he felt for his partner. Well, not realize. He'd always been slightly jealous of Michael, who had better chances at gaining Victoria's love then he ever could. Michael was much more handsome, and smarter, and funnier... It pained Jordan, to remember that jealousy. But truth be told, just as Michael, he had loved the woman before him for longer then he could even possibly remember. He just hadn't been able to admit it in truth, save for his short conversation with Brady earlier.

Tears welled up in Victoria's eyes, one spilling over her bruised cheek. She'd never allowed herself to feel anything so deeply. But she'd recently began to realize that Jordan had a way of making her feel so vulnerable, so frail, yet so safe, warm, and cared for. How was it, that he had always been there, right in front of her, but she had not truly seen him until this very moment? The thought of being vulnerable to anyone else scared her. But not with him. Perhaps she'd always known he was special, different from everyone else in her lonely, miserable life. There had just been too much pain for her to accept the truth. She'd thought that reaching Gabriel's house had only meant she was free physically. Free from the torments of killing and thieving for hire. Free from the tortures that could be bestowed on her should she not remain in line. It had not occurred to her that she'd gain another freedom on this day. The freedom... to love, and be happy. Jordan gently wiped away the tear with his thumb, mindful of the bruise on her delicate cheek. Today, he planned to take vengeance for each and every bruise, every mark on his Victoria.

"Apparently, my words had a rather opposite effect then intended. I always thought that Victoria DiMera was incapable of crying."

"I used to be," Victoria whispered. "You're the exception to the rule, Jordan. You know you always were." Jordan shifted nervously on the bed, reluctantly withdrawing his hand from her cheek. Victoria noticed his change in attitude, and inwardly cursed herself. "I'm sorry, did I say something wrong?"

"No, no of course not. It's just... I... I well... I've been meaning to tell you something..." Jordan wasn't really thinking about his words.

"What? What is it, Jordan? Is it about Chloe?" Victoria asked, setting up in bed a bit, ignoring the wave of heat sent up her spine when she did so.

"No, it's not about Chloe. It's... um, well, it's something that's... been on my mind for awhile now... and I just don't know..."

"Jordan, spit it our already."

"I love you," Jordan burst, nearly screaming the proclamation. He immediately clamped his hand over his mouth as if he'd just said something obscene in a church. "I mean... Oh God, I didn't mean... I didn't want to say it like that. I mean... how was I suppose to tell you I'm in love with you? It's not like that kind of thing is normal in our line of business... love just, it never works... but I want it to work... I love you so much, I just... I know you don't feel the same and all, I just..." Jordan babbled on, all memory of ever being a cool, collected mercenary who could handle any situation gone. Victoria just smiled, realization spreading over her. She reached out, grabbing his shirt collar and pulling him into a deep kiss, halting his mindless babbling. For a moment, Jordan was too shocked to respond, but he quickly recovered, returning the passionate kiss, still managing to be mindful of her many wounds. Victoria was the one to finally pull back, shivering slightly from the shock of the earth-shatteringly passionate kiss.

"Jordan, you are so adorable when you babble, but shut up," Victoria whispered with a grin, leaning forward to capture his lips again. Jordan had no problem with Victoria being the aggressor, in fact he was very pleased to be the target of her lip-lock attack. She dragged her tongue slowly along his bottom lip, demanding entrance. The kiss probably would have become more passionate, if that was possible, but Victoria had to pull back with a gasp of pain as his arm brushed against the bare skin of her back.

"Oh my God, I'm so sorry! Did I hurt you?" Jordan asked worriedly. Can we say mood killer? _Geeze, what a way to tell a woman you love her. Blurt it out, then hurt her when she kisses you. _Jordan cursed himself mentally. Victoria shook her head, regaining her calm composure and blocking out the pain. At least now that they were bandaged up, they didn't hurt so badly.

"No, no, I'm fine. Just... a little tender. Sorry," Victoria muttered in reply. It was for the first time that Jordan realized Victoria was completely naked under the blanket, save for the many bandages on her wounds.

"Ya know... this is... perhaps the most awkward moment of my entire life," Jordan stated. Victoria couldn't help but smile. Of course, this was most definitely not how she had imagined things would go when she used to dream as a child. The man she loved, proclaiming his love to her, while she lay naked all battered and bruised in a kind stranger's bed? Not normal. But then again... she never had been a normal girl.

"I know the feeling. I'm very... confused right now, to say the least. But ya know, there is one thing I am now very clear about."

"Wh-what's that?" Jordan asked nervously. Victoria scooted closer again, not caring that her blanket slipped this time, exposing the tops of her breasts. She leaned forward, resting her forehead easily on his.

"That I'm in love with you, too. I love you, Jordan. So much," Victoria whispered. To hear those words coming out of her mouth, seemed so unreal. It was like she'd undergone a complete change within the last few months. No, not a change. The person she really was had just finally begun to resurface. Not Victoria Amarice DiMera, a ruthless, cold-blooded killer and art thief. Before him now was who she really was, Aida Kristen Miller, the simple, pure-hearted daughter of a doctor's wife in the sleepy little town of Salem. That's the woman he'd been in love with all these years.

"Y...ya...You do?" Jordan stammered.

"Y...ya...Yes, I do," Victoria replied, teasingly mocking him. "And, when I'm more... able, I have every intention of proving it to you." A sly smile began to form slowly on Jordan's lips, sending shivers down Victoria's spine. That smile was just too much.

"That so? What makes you think you have to prove it to me?"

"Hrm... well, I didn't think you would complain, but since you are..." Victoria teased, pulling up her blanket to cover her exposed breasts. Jordan caught on, chuckling at her games. He very gently pulled his arms around her, hugging her gently to his chest.

"Don't go playing those games with me, young lady. I know you better then anyone, I don't fall for them. Any man in his right mind would very much enjoy your... proving of your love, without any further complaint. I love you, so much. You never have to prove anything to me, Victoria." Victoria sighed, leaning in to Jordan and inhaling his wondrous scent. She felt no pain in his arms, only safety.

"Hrm... call me Aida." The request caught even her off guard, but, that was her name. Her true name. Not Victoria Amarice DiMera, that was an identity created by and forced upon her unwillingly by Stefano DiMera. Aida Kristen Miller was the untainted half of her, the half she intended to live by now.

"It's going to take some used to... calling you that. I'm still getting used to the rest of this... the, um well, openly acknowledging my feelings for you part, ya know. That's very different for me. It's kind of creepy, like you've got some weird split personality disorder," Jordan teased, causing her to smile despite herself. "Now, calling you something else after nearly a lifetime..."

"It's who I am, Jordan," Aida interjected.

"I know. And that's who I love," Jordan whispered. Aida smiled, tilting her chin up to look at the man she loved. Jordan lowered his head, capturing her lips in a tender kiss once more. Jordan ran his fingers along the underside of Aida's uninjured arm. Aida couldn't believe how intimate such a simple touch could be. Aida's hand was about to attempt to sneak under the material of Jordan's shirt, needing the feel of bare skin against her hand, when the sound of someone clearing their throat purposely interrupted their kiss. Despite her injuries, the two jerked apart like little children who'd been caught with their hands in the cookie jar by their mother. Brady stood in the doorway to the guestroom. At any other time, he would have found the situation amazingly hilarious, but right now, he was just too worried and anxious.

"Ahem. I hate to interrupt, but Jordan, it's time we got going," Brady said simply. Jordan nodded, standing up from his position on the side of the bed. He turned once more to Aida, leaning down to give her a quick kiss.

"Be careful. And don't forget all I told you, this may be our last chance before DiMera does something drastic," Aida said. Jordan again nodded.

"We'll remember. And you, no moving around what-so-ever. You need something, you call for Michelle. You rest up, or I'll have to punish you."

"Yes, mother," Aida murmured. Jordan suppressed a laugh, giving her one more quick kiss before departing the room. Brady turned to leave too, but Aida stopped him. "Hey, Brady?" Brady turned around to face her.

"Yes Aida?"

"No matter what happens... it isn't your fault. I don't know much about my sister, but I can tell you this... you've done so much more for her then anyone else ever has. No matter what happens, I know you did everything in your power to save Chloe."

"But, will everything in my power be enough?" Brady asked quietly.

"I believe so, yes. Stefano can destroy so much, but he can't win, against true love," Aida replied honestly. "You can do this, Brady. I have faith in you, and so does Chloe." Brady just nodded, not knowing what else he could possibly say. He turned to leave again, but paused.

"Aida?"

"Yes?"

"Thank you," Brady said, before he too disappeared out the guestroom door, leaving it open so Aida could call to Michelle if she needed her. Aida smiled, settling herself back under the blanket in the most comfortable position she could manage.

"No, thank you," Aida whispered. Since Brady Black arrived on the scene, entering her sister's life, things for Aida had begun to turn around for the better. Although she never normally tried looking at the positive side to every situation, she could now see the positive side of DiMera's abduction of Chloe, at least for her. Aida had regained her true identity, something she would always cherish. And it was also something she never would have found the strength to find, had it not been for the presence of her long-lost twin sister, Chloe. Now, she only prayed, she didn't have to live this new identity without her twin sister. Fate couldn't possibly be that cruel... Could it? Brady walked out into the living room to meet Jordan. John was already waiting outside. Brady threw a walkie talkie to Jordan.

"I feel like a friggen 10 year old using these things, but keep it in your jacket pocket just in case," Brady instructed. Jordan nodded, stowing the walkie talkie in the inner pocket in his jacket. "And this. Hide it in your boot I guess," Brady said, handing him a Colt Commander. Jordan took it, putting his right foot up on a chair, pulling up his pant leg slightly and tucking the gun in his boot, quickly covering it up. As he and Brady were walking towards the door, Brady spoke.  
"I see you finally took a chance and told her," Brady commented, referring to the scene he'd walked in on.  
"That I did. Now, as soon as we get Chloe out of that place, it'll be your turn," Jordan replied smugly. Brady stopped in his tracks. God, was he that transparent? Complete strangers were telling him how he felt before he could even admit it to himself! "Don't look so surprised, man. A guy doesn't travel half way around the world to butt heads with Stefano DiMera just for anyone you know," Jordan stated. With that, he walked out the front door. Brady shook his head, following Jordan out the door...

Jordan, John, and Brady arrived at the library a few minutes after it opened to the public. They'd spent most of the morning, aside from the time Jordan was having his heart to heart with Aida, discussing what would go down. They would all separate, each staying in a position far enough away not to be considered together, but close enough that each could see the entrance to the West Wing and the doors to the outside. It was feared that Jordan or John might be recognized, but John assured them that wasn't possible. After they spotted Stefano's man leaving the library, John and Brady were to follow, while Jordan stayed behind to guard the entrance in case something unpredicted occurred. Once Stefano's man returned to the library and entered the West Wing, all three would follow, waiting until he opened the secret door before they took him out. They estimated they'd be in the storage room with the door closed securely behind them before anyone could enter the West Wing after them. After that, they would take out however many guards Stefano had posted at the entrance to the tunnels. Aida had warned them that since her escape, the number might be higher, and guards might possibly be posted at the Phoenix Park exit as well. Those guards weren't what concerned them. What worried them was what could happen once they got inside the compound. Stefano DiMera was not one to go down without a fight. Actually, he wasn't known to truly go down at all, but there's a first time for everything. Brady removed a book from the 'L' shelf looking through the opening created to see his father on the other side.

"Dad. Are you sure Stefano will send someone out, what with Aida's escape?" Brady whispered.

"Stefano is too proud to change his ways because of a miscalculation in plans," John assured. Brady nodded, replacing the book in it's original spot and moving away from the bookcase. He sat down at one of the tables, grabbing a magazine he could pretend to look at while watching the West Wing entrance. Time seemed to slow down while they waited, each trying to act totally normal and just browse through books. Time went slowest for Brady. The sooner he got his Diva out of that hell hole, the better. He knew he couldn't handle it if anything happened to her. He would live with the guilt of knowing it was his fault for the rest of his life. Assuming he _could_ live with the guilt, which he rather doubted. No... he had to get her out of there. He was going to get Chloe away from DiMera, kill Philip, and tell Chloe every single thought and feeling that he'd been hiding for so long out of fear, even if it ruined the friendship he'd held onto so dearly. Brady couldn't hide it anymore. He had to tell her... so many things, while he had the chance to.

Finally, after what felt like hours, a man dressed in a black shirt and jeans emerged from the West Wing a few minutes after 8 a.m. John nodded to Brady, who was closer to the exit, to leave now before Stefano's man, while he would follow. Brady nodded back, replacing another book on a shelf and walking casually outside. John waited until Stefano's man had reached the door before stepping up behind Jordan, leaning down to speak with him.

"Brady and I will follow this guy, you stick around here and watch for him to return, and keep an eye on the entrance. Warn us if anyone else comes out," John whispered. Jordan nodded, resuming pretending to be interested in a magazine article on U.S. politics. With that, John walked casually out the door, catching sight of both Stefano's man, and Brady further in the distance. Brady and John followed the guy around at a safe distance, watching him stop at a few different locations sporadically around the city, most likely to do business with some of Stefano's contacts. At only one location did the guy actually bring anything out with him, a small plain brown package tied with string. It probably wasn't that important, and neither of the Black men could care less what it was. They just wanted to get this the hell over with and get Chloe to safety. Finally, they noticed that they were getting closer to the library once again. Brady raised his walkie talkie to his mouth, tuning in to reach his father's.

"You and Jordan hang back when we get back to the library. I'll take out this guy while you two make sure no one sees us going in the West Wing," Brady instructed. Much to their relief, the clerk at the front desk did not have a clear view of the entrance to the West Wing. Still, Brady didn't want to take any chances on them being seen and followed.

"Son, you are not going in there alone..."

"No dad, just hang back. I can handle this guy. I just think you two should hang back a bit, we can't risk someone stopping us. If we're seen, at least one of us needs to get in that storage room. I let her get away, Dad. If only one of us can get into the compound, it has to be me."

"Son..."

"Damn it, Dad, you can't win this argument. Just shut up and do as I asked," Brady snapped, switching off his walkie talkie. He and John were too far apart at the moment to hear the other without them. John shook his head, replacing his walkie talkie in his pocket, keeping Stefano's man in his sight. This was one time he couldn't protect his son, and he knew it. He just had to make damn sure they weren't seen, and that he got in that storage room with his son.

Stefano's man entered the library, followed by Brady, who immediately hid in the maze of shelves, ever keeping his target in sight. John entered the library just as Stefano's man disappeared inside the West Wing, and just as Jordan was about to follow. John made his way over to Jordan, placing a hand on his shoulder to stop him. He mouthed the words 'hang back' just as Brady slipped out from the bookcases, darting quickly into the West Wing. John guided Jordan into the safety of the maze of bookcases, taking refugee in the many bookcases that were located to the side of the entrance. Brady stayed out of sight, hiding behind a statue that was to the side of the West Wing's entrance, watching Stefano's man ascend a spiral stair case which lead to a loft of bookcases. Brady waited until the guy wouldn't be able to notice him before he began to creep up the stairs in pursuit. Stefano's man disappeared around a corner just as Brady reached the top of the stairs. The sound of a book being moved could be heard, and that's when Brady made his move. He creped up to the corner, allowing only enough time for the guy to use his clearance to open the door to the storage room before he attacked. In one quick motion, Brady grabbed the man's slightly outstretched arm, snapping it back behind his back. He was too taken off guard to react before Brady shoved him headfirst into the bookcase to the side of the storage room entrance. As he was trying to regain composure and strike back, Brady grabbed him roughly by the hair, pulling his head up before slamming his face into the hard wood of the solid bookshelf. Still hanging on to his hair, Brady pushed him back into the bookcase on the other wall, sending books flying as the larger man hit the back of his head hard on the wood surface, knocking him unconscious. Meanwhile, John and Jordan were slipping into the West Wing, when a new employee who'd been hired to help put away books where they belong spotted them.

"Hey you two, stop right there!" The nerdy looking little red-haired young man yelled, getting the attention of the front clerk as well as everyone currently in the library.

"Damn it," John cursed under his breathe. Jordan bolted towards the spiral staircase while John pushed over the statue Brady had previously hid behind to slow everyone else down, quickly following after Jordan.

"Hey, stop!" the red-haired yelled, running forward just in time to see the large statue topple over, halfway blocking the entrance and also sending many surrounding books down to the floor. By the time he and the front clerk got past the blockade, John and Jordan were at the top of the stairs. They made it past the corner in time to see Brady fling the storage room door open.

"We got trouble," John announced, pushing Brady forward into the storage room, Jordan quickly stepping over the unconscious form of Stefano's man and following suit, slamming the door shut behind them. Jordan breathed a silent sigh of relief. The first half was over. Next would follow a more difficult task, taking out the guards posted behind the door to the tunnels. Then of course would be the hardest part of all, entering the DiMera compound, getting to Chloe, and getting her out safely. Brady scanned the small room, noting that Aida was correct. The wall of tapes in blue cases was directly in front of them.

"You two ready?" Brady prompted, reaching down and pulling his Colt Commander out of it's hold in his boot. Jordan and John merely nodded, each retrieving their own guns. "Jordan, you go on that side, Dad, you on that side," Brady instructed. Jordan stood to the right of the door to the tunnels, John to the left, and Brady directly in the center. Getting the go ahead from the other two, Brady reached out and pulled on the tape marked 'Phoenix,' tripping the sound alarm and little red light inside the tunnel.

The three guards inside became alert, one of them pushing the button that would open the door for what they believed was one of their men. Brady, John and Jordan stepped back, getting into position as the door opened. Brady was the first to strike out immediately as the guards came into view. He ran forward, pushing the first guard back into the other two and sending their firearms to the ground. The only woman who was on guard duty was first to recover, grabbing her gun and pushing herself up off the floor as Jordan and John filed in behind Brady. She raised her gun to fire, only to have Brady strike out with his foot, knocking it from her hands again and further down the tunnel. While Brady was dealing with the woman, the two men got up, confronting John and Jordan. John's foot lashed out, connecting with his opponents knee with a sickening crack. The man fell to his knees in agony, before John sent another blow to his face, knocking him back. Jordan cared less for making sure not to kill anyone unless necessary, But he resisted the urge to fire his gun, least the sound attract attention that they were currently in no position to warrant. His opponent had not been able to retrieve his firearm, so instead he lunged at Jordan. Big mistake. Jordan punched him hard in the stomach, knocking the wind instantly out of him. The momentum of his lunge kept him hurling forward, however. Jordan merely side-stepped, using his gun in a less deadly manner, slamming it into the back of the larger man's head. He was effectively out cold, Jordan roughly kicking him literally out the door they had just entered through.

Brady grabbed the woman by the shoulder, twirling her around and pushing her roughly out the door behind her unconscious partner. John quickly disposed of his assailant in a similar manner, slamming the door shut and locking all three of the indisposed guards out of the tunnels. Brady did a quick scan of the area, checking for anyone else, or perhaps video cameras. It was Jordan who spotted the first surveillance camera, raising his gun to blow the thing into a million tiny pieces.

"Alright, let's go. Keep an eye out for more cameras, and listen for any footsteps," Brady instructed, leading them down to the corner in the tunnel and picking up the gun the woman had dropped, tossing it to John. They followed the dark tunnel through the path Aida had instructed them to take, shooting any video surveillance camera they spotted and stopping only to reload guns or to listen for any approaching sounds. Time seemed to stand still as they approached the corridor which turned them towards the Phoenix Park exit. Finally, they came to the point just before you reach the Phoenix Park exit that connected to two tunnels. Brady motioned for the other two to keep back, although he was sure that his father was getting rather tired of taking orders from his son. Brady slowly peeked around the corner, but no guards could be seen in the other corridor barely within sight that led to the dungeons. Brady guessed they were all centered around the dungeon doors. He waved his father and Jordan on, signifying to follow slowly as they crept out into the corridor that led to the dungeon corridor, staying close to the earthen walls. As they crept closer, Brady spotted a working surveillance camera beside one that had obviously been broken. Unfortunately, he couldn't shoot it, that would alarm the guards. He just had to hope that if anyone was indeed watching the footage, that the rescue team was close enough to Chloe to make it to her before a response could be sent out.

Brady nodded his head towards the other side of the wall, the one that would be closer to the dungeon, signaling them to move to that side of the tunnel. Brady stopped just short of the end of the tunnel, pressing up against the walls of the tunnel. Carefully, he peered around the corner, catching sight of the two guards posted in front of the dungeon door. Brady quickly darted back out of sight before he could been seen, turning his head and gesturing to the others to step forward. Brady waited for approval from his father, before jumping into the middle of the tunnel, gun raised. He sent out one well-calculated shot, which hit the first guard square in the shoulder causing him to drop his gun. The force of the shot sent him flying back into the iron dungeon door. Jordan and John came out from hiding as well, John sending out a bullet that hit the second guards gun, causing the gun to spiral away and to the ground. Even though the heavy iron door was thick, it wasn't sound proof. Upon first shot, the two guards inside the dungeon watching over Elizabeth and Aaron were immediately alert, pulling open the door in time for one of their own to plummet to the ground in front of them. They moved past their injured comrade, raising their own guns and firing at the trio. One bullet narrowly missed Jordan's head. Jordan responded with three shots hitting the holder of the gun which had nearly shot him in the stomach twice and once in the chest.

"Whooo hooo! It's the Calvary!" called Aaron from inside his and Elizabeth's dungeon cell. Although he hadn't a clue who had arrived, they got major points for shooting DiMera's thugs, and for having killer aim. After dodging the only remaining guard's last bullet, John pulled another 'shot-at-the-gun' move, leaving Brady open to advance. Brady stalked up to the last guard, easily catching the obviously new recruit's fist in his hand as he attempted to punch him. Brady gripped tightly on the closed fist, twisting the guys arm tightly before shoving him into the wall. As it turned out, he was the one with the keys to the cell, so Brady reached down to the now unconscious form, snatching up the keys and making his way over the bodies and to the cell door.

"Brady!" Elizabeth exclaimed. Brady quickly put the key in the lock, turning it. "Brady, look out!" Elizabeth called frantically. Brady was just about to turn as he heard the shot from behind, followed by a loud thud. The guard Brady had shot in the shoulder had gotten up, finding his gun and was coming up behind Brady, until John shot the offender in the back, sending him back down to the cold ground, this time for good. Brady just nodded his thanks before throwing open the door to the cell, setting Chloe and Aaron free. Without thinking, Elizabeth immediately threw herself into Brady's arms, nearly knocking him over.

"Nice to see you too, Diva," Brady muttered, relief washing over him at the feel of Chloe in his arms again, safe again. Elizabeth was about to ask what that meant, when Brady noticed the tear in her shirt from the whipping after she kicked Merdoc. "Oh God. Chloe, are you alright?"

"Hey, hate to interrupt and all, but we should be getting the hell out of this joint," Aaron pointed out. Brady pulled away from Chloe reluctantly, remembering their current position. Upon sight of his Diva, the rest of the world had completely melted away, leaving only her. Brady didn't know who this guy was, but given that he was in the dungeon, Stefano obviously didn't like him, and that made him ok in Brady's book.

"What the hell is going on here?!" Merdoc demanded, coming up behind Jordan and John to stand in the doorway, completely disregarding his fallen comrades. After the intense burning pain in his groin from Elizabeth's kick had subsided, he'd decided to come down to the dungeon for his payback. No body, no matter how gorgeous, got away with pulling a stunt like that with him. Brady turned, as did the others, catching sight of his hated uncle.

"Oh yeah, this is gonna be good," Brady murmured. Finally, he'd get to beat the shit out of his so called Uncle Phillyboy. John advanced as if he were going to take care of Philip/Merdoc, but Brady stopped him. "No way. He's so mine." Merdoc nearly growled at the sight of Brady Black. He only knew that he was an enemy in Stefano's eyes, but he just had this feeling that Brady was to be hated, and destroyed.

"I remember you. Pretty boy thinks he can take me, huh?" Merdoc scoffed. Brady almost laughed. In a flash, Brady charged forward, lowering his head to grab Philip around the waist and wrestle him to the ground. Before the little shit could even blink, Brady had him pinned down, pounding his face with his fists.

"You... sick... son of a... bitch. I'm... gonna... make... damn... sure... you... rot... in hell!" Brady stated through punching. Merdoc tried to fight back, but failed miserably. Within moments, he was unconscious. Brady had to be pulled off Philip by both John and Jordan.

"Come on, son! No time for that, we have to get the hell out of here!" John ordered. Brady gave one last disgusted look at his uncle's now bloody face, before nodding and turning back to Chloe.

"Jordan, you get him. This guy has a long over-due date with an electric chair. Chloe, come with me. We'll get you out of here."

"I'm not..."  
"Who are you?" Brady interrupted, indicating Aaron.

"Just another misguided soul. Love to stay and chat, but I'm gonna find my own way outta here. Got stuff to do before I make my exit," Aaron stated, before he disappeared out the door. Brady just shook his head, taking Chloe's hand as Jordan lifted Philip up, slinging him carelessly over one shoulder. Being as he'd been locked up in the dungeon as well, Brady doubted he had anything to fear from him. He wouldn't go to Stefano, so it didn't matter to him where this mystery man went, or if he made it out alive.

"Come on, lets get out of here before more of Stefano's goons show up," Brady stated, leading Chloe out the door and past the unconscious guards up the corridor to the fork leading to the Phoenix Park exit. Jordan and John quickly followed Brady and Chloe up the corridor. They thought they were nearly home free, when Stefano DiMera himself emerged from the fork of the tunnel which led back to the library.

"Well well, if it isn't the Black family, and their little tag alongs. I must say, very resourceful of you three. You must have been conversing with my dear Victoria to have gotten this far. It's almost as if you know this tunnel better than I do. Almost," Stefano said smugly.

"Stefano," Brady growled. "It's over, Stefano. You lose."

"Not quite," Stefano stated, pulling out a remote-control looking device from his jacket. "You see, dear boy, when I turn this dial, you are going to get one hell of a surprise," Stefano stated, his fingers already on the dial. John immediately recognized the device. Acting fast, he pulled out his gun, sending a shot towards Stefano. The bullet neither hit Stefano or the control device, but succeeded in it's mission to cause Stefano to drop the remote control. Almost effortlessly 'Soldier John' bounded forward, grabbing the control device and coming to stand on his feet behind Stefano DiMera, gun raised and control device in hand.

"Not this time, DiMera. You left both mine and Hope's lives in ruins with this thing, and I'll be damned if you do it to anyone else. Game's over, Stefano. Raising you're daughter to be just like you has backfired. This time, you lose," John stated. Stefano only chuckled, shaking his head. Disappointed as he was that John and so easily foiled his little plans, Stefano DiMera was never one to be disappointed for long. He would always have other opportunities.

"No, no, John, I do believe you're wrong. You and my precious daughter may have won this battle... but Stefano DiMera always wins the war," Stefano stated. With that, he reached up to the side of the tunnel that led to the Library entrance, pressing a button previously unseen. Instantly, the tunnel filled with smoke, allowing Stefano the chance to maneuver around John and escape out the Phoenix Park doorway. Coughs and curses rang out, until the smoke finally cleared. When it did, and Stefano was found to be no where in sight, Jordan made a move to drop Philip and follow in pursuit of Stefano before Brady grabbed his shoulder.

"Don't bother. He's gone," Brady said reluctantly. After all, Stefano DiMera was never found until he allowed himself to be found. Jordan reluctantly agreed, and all four of them, or five, if you included Philip's unconscious scanky ass, made their way out into the warming light of day.

"Well, it's finally over," Jordan said as he took in the surroundings.

"No," Brady disagreed, involuntarily pulling his arm protectively around Chloe, who was a little stunned but not about to argue. "It will never be over. Not until that monster is finally six feet under, once and for all," Brady stated. But for now, he didn't give a damn about Stefano, or anything else for that matter. All that mattered was Chloe was safe, and in his arms again. And as soon as John got that chip out of her head, she would be back to her old self, and Brady would tell her how he really felt about her, no matter what the consequences...


	23. Chapter 23: All Good Things

Chapter 23: All Good Things...

"Ouch! Hey!" Chloe complained loudly.

"Chloe, I just put on the antiseptic. I haven't even got the scalpel yet. Would you just sit still and stop that already?" John asked.

"It's not that, you brushed against my back," Chloe complained. Ever since they had arrived back to the safety of Gabriel's house, Brady had worried and fawned over that stupid gash, insisting that both Chloe and Aida be taken to a hospital now that the danger was over. Well, no, not over. Gabriel had called the authorities to search the compound, but Stefano had his men and everything they could take with them cleared out by the time anyone arrived. Stefano had worked fast, leaving behind his Ireland compound to disappear to another of his holes, hiding out like the coward Brady believed him to be, waiting for the time to retaliate. But, he wouldn't be making any moves any time soon. Despite Brady's insistence, Aida, John, Michelle and Chloe had all stayed at Gabriel's while Brady, Jordan and Gabriel took "Merdoc" to be held in a jail cell until he could be transported back to Illinois, where he would stand trial as an adult for murder. Upon inspection, it was discovered that Philip too had a chip in his central nervous system, which John had had to remove before the other's took him into custody. Once returned to his old psychotic self, Philip had been carted off, screaming for Chloe. No doubt, he would be throwing a tantrum in his jail cell right now, because the guards wouldn't let him see Chloe. Everyone under Gabriel's roof almost wished they could see that scene. Then again... perhaps it was best left only to the imagination.

Now that Philip's chip had been taken care of, it was Chloe's turn. The ever talented "Solider John" had already taken care of patching up her gash, and was now preparing to remove the chip. Chloe was stretched out on the bed Aida had slept in the night before. Aida, now dressed and feeling much better after finally letting her true feelings for Jordan come out and after her sisters rescue, was propped up in a soft, comfortable chair, trying literally not to breathe least she upset some of her stitches. Some of Chloe's memories were already returning, due to the exposure of familiar people, but everything was very fuzzy. She couldn't wait to get this stupid chip out. A chip she hadn't even been aware of until Brady Black came into her life. But she was apprehensive. Such surgery was risky, but she somehow knew she trusted John, and Brady, with her life. Brady... every time she thought of him, she became so confused, so lost inside. Something wasn't right, she just didn't know what it was. She planned to speak with him alone as soon as possible. Chloe also feared all her memories wouldn't return, which was part of the reason for wanting to talk to Brady. She wanted his help in filling up the holes in her memory. Aida chuckled as she watched John and Chloe.

"You know, sis, you have both a very low threshold of pain, and a very high annoyance rate," Aida joked, attempting to lift her sister's mood. She could feel Chloe's apprehension. Truth was, she felt just as nervous. It wasn't as if she didn't trust John to do the quick procedure. Philip had unfortunately come out his old disturbing self without any complications. It was just that she didn't trust Stefano.

"Ha ha, very funny Vic... er, Aida," Chloe corrected herself. One thing she definitely wouldn't get used to, thinking of her sister as Aida, not to mention herself as Chloe.

"Alright you two, enough sibling rivalry. Aida, you go over to the other side of the bed," John instructed. He didn't even make a move to help Aida, learning from previous experience that she neither liked nor tolerated help to walk. Aida nodded, easing herself up despite the burning pain, and made her way to the chair on the other side of the bed. Chloe, her back to John, could now watch her sister while John removed the chip. Aida could now see the look of uncertainty on Chloe's face. Aida smiled reassuringly.

"Try not to bleed all over the sheets sis, Michelle'll have a cow," Aida whispered, finally causing a smile to grace her twin's lips. "Best hope the scar isn't too horrible, or else you'll never attract that handsome young savior of yours," Aida teased, keeping Chloe's mind off the scalpel that John now held in his hands.

"You're gonna pay for that one," Chloe returned.

"Alright Chloe, you ready?" John prompted. Chloe nodded, taking her sister's hand in preparation for the slight pain she knew would be coming when John cut into the flesh at the base of her neck. John put the scalpel in place, carefully cutting. Chloe gasped, gripping John's hand. The pain didn't last long, as John maneuvered the chip out. Chloe's eyes closed just as the chip was out, alarming Aida.

"Chloe? Chloe, look at me," Aida prompted, squeezing Chloe's hand. John quickly discarded the chip in a clear plastic sack, working to stitch up the new cut. "Chloe, open your eyes!" Aida demanded frantically, leaning forward a bit. At the moment Aida leaned forward, Chloe's eyes popped open.

"Boo!" Chloe yelled in true childlike manner, causing Aida to literally jump. John, who had already finished patching Chloe up, just shook his head. "Told ya you'd pay." Aida sat baffled for a moment, before her face flushed scarlet red with anger.

"Chloe Lane, don't you EVER do that to me again! Oooooh, I swear, if I knew I wouldn't rip a stitch..." at this point, John chuckled, gathering up the supplies from removing Chloe's chip and the barely bloody sheet. It was a relief to see Chloe was fine now. Hopefully, all her memories would return soon.

"You two are hopeless," John stated. "And, that's a fact."

"Dad, that lines getting kinda old," Brady said from the doorway. He had just returned, immediately making his way to the guestroom to check on Chloe.

"What can I say son? I'm a fan of the classics. Chloe, you and Aida both take it kinda easy, will ya? I'm going to arrange for our flight. It won't be long now before we're all home in Salem where we belong." John said.

"Home... it would be nice to remember home..." Chloe murmured, sitting up.

"You will, soon, Chloe," John insisted, carrying the supplies to the door. He placed a reassuring hand on his son's shoulders, giving a slight nod to Chloe before departing the room. Brady shifted, crossing his arms over his broad chest. He didn't dare come closer, not yet, for fear of starting to smother Chloe with worry once again.

"How you feeling?" Brady asked Chloe.

"I'm alright. A little sore, but I'm fine," Chloe answered. Brady grimaced unconsciously, thinking of the long gash on his Chloe's back.

"I'm glad. But, what I really mean is... are you feeling... you know, more like, you?" Brady asked. Aida sat back, looking from her sister to Brady. It was easily apparent that neither of them even remembered she was still in the room. Chloe's attention had immediately focused on Brady and Brady alone the moment he entered the room, and vice versa.

"Well... I'm still not too sure what 'me' feels like," Chloe answered. "Brady, can we talk?"

"And that, ladies and gentlemen, is my exit cue," Aida stated, before beginning to slowly pull herself up out of her chair. Being the amazingly wonderful gentlemen that our Brady is, Brady stepped forward to help her, only to have his hand firmly pushed away. "Oh no ya don't, Savior Boy. I can do just fine on my own, thank you very much." Chloe smiled slightly at her sister's antics. Aida padded forward, stopping beside Brady. "Be gentle with her, she's an invalid. Don't do anything I wouldn't do. Although... that's not saying much," Aida said with a suggestive tone, and provocative smile, before smacking Brady's "tight ass," as Aida had put it, and walking on out the door, closing it behind her. Chloe burst out laughing at the look of utter surprise on Brady's face from Aida's bold move, although she couldn't help but feel a twinge of... jealousy? No way! Why would she be jealous of that? Although, for some reason, thoughts of her being the one to smack Brady on the ass entered her mind involuntarily...

"That..." Brady started, "wasn't funny."

"Yes it was," Chloe protested. "Ya gotta love her, she's a trip." Getting over his surprise, Brady joined in Chloe's laughing, just over-joyed to be able to hear that sweet, intoxicating laugh once again.

"Yeah. She's... she's something alright," Brady said. "Mind if I have a seat?"

"Nope, go ahead," Chloe answered, scooting over to allow Brady room to sit on the edge of the bed. Brady sat down, his smile fading slightly.

"How are you, Chloe, really?" Brady asked, his voice full of concern. Chloe sighed sadly, head bowed to watch her hands in her lap.

"Honestly? I don't know. This is... this is all so overwhelming. I mean, I've spent the last six months of my life trusting my father... no, no, I'm not even going to call him that. He's no father of mine. Not now, not after all this. I'm just... I'm so confused, Brady. Everything about my life is clouded and fuzzy," Chloe answered. Brady reached forward, tipping Chloe's chin up gently, mindful of the new cut which would leave yet another scar that would haunt him for life.

"I know everything looks clouded now, but it will be okay you know. You're safe, here with us. And before you know it, you'll be back in Salem, and you'll have to relearn now to deal with Nancy's smothering you with worry and affection," Brady stated, a sly grin on his face, causing Chloe's heart to melt and lips to part in a grin of her own. "She has been worried to death about you, you know. No matter how hopeless things got, you're mother never gave up hope that you'd come back to us. And neither did I. I couldn't. You mean so much to me Chloe, so much to all of us. Me, Craig, Nancy, Belle, Shawn, and now Aida... we all need you," Brady said honestly, unconsciously rubbing his thumb against Chloe's delicate cheek. He hadn't even realized he hadn't let go of her yet. Chloe felt as if her body trembled from head to toe as tingling electricity surged up her spine at Brady's gentle touch.

"I wish I could remember. My memories... I can barely see faces, just images moving around in my head. It's so confusing, Brady. And... I... some of these memories... they hurt so much. I can't remember these things, and yet, I know how much they hurt me, how much they... scare me," Chloe whispered, a tear streaming down her cheek. Brady promptly wiped it away with his thumb.

"Shhh. Please don't cry, it'll be ok Chloe. Come here," Brady soothed, pulling her tenderly into his arms. Chloe wouldn't have protested even if she could. She instantly felt secure, like having his arms wrapped around her could take away all her troubles. She didn't even have any urge to stop herself from crying, as she normally would in front of someone. She buried her face in his shoulder, soaking his shirt with tears from her deep sobs. Brady wrapped his arms gently around his Diva, mindful of her bandage, bringing his arms up to tenderly smooth her hair, soothing her tears. "Shhh. It's ok, just let it out. You'll be ok. Shhh. You're safe now," Brady soothed. He kissed Chloe's temple softly. The simple gesture brought back memories for Chloe, like a sudden... bright flash of clarity. Clear memories of a tropical island, memories of riding jet skies through high ocean waves, of Brady pulling the young man she had previously referred to as Merdoc out of a pit filling with water, memories of her throwing herself on Philip, crying out for him not to leave her, and memories of Brady pulling her into his arms, just like this, soothing away her pain with his gentle, kind gesture. Chloe pulled back slightly, a bit startled at the memory flash. "What? What is it, Chloe?" Brady asked worriedly.

"I... I had a memory flash. A clear one, not fuzzy like the rest," Chloe answered.

"You did? What about?" Brady prompted.

"I was on an island. You pulled Mer...Philip out of a big pit, that was filling with water. He was unconscious, I think, and I was yelling for him not to leave me." Brady grimaced slightly at the memory. Of all the things for her to remember, that horrible island experience had to be the first?

"Yeah, the island. Puerto Rico. It was a school ecology field trip. You didn't go at the last minute, because you found out Philip was going. That's not exactly one of the memories I'd want you to remember first. The whole time on the island was a literal hell."

"But, you were there. You comforted me," Chloe said. "Do you... are you always there when I need you? Like you were then, and like you were today?"

"Well... not... not always. We used to fight, a lot," Brady answered, almost shyly. Of course, he would never regret those days of passionate arguments. Oh no, that was one of the things he and Chloe did best. Argue. No one else he had ever met had such determination, such passionate fury as his Diva. She always spoke her mind, as did he, which made for the most interesting of conversations. "But, that's something I could never regret either. You and I, are two of a kind, Chloe. Our arguments were always very... interesting. Although there is one thing I do regret."

"What's that?" Chloe asked curiously.

"That I made you feel like you weren't good enough to be an Opera singer," Brady answered. Nancy, in one of their late night talks in the months Chloe was missing, had revealed to him some of the things Chloe had said about him to her. Brady had never known he had such a great effect on Chloe's life. True, they were friends, but Chloe never let anyone tell her what she could or couldn't do. Brady had never meant to make Chloe feel as if she wasn't good enough. God, if only she knew how he really felt about her. She was... there weren't even words that could ever possibly describe what she was to him. She was amazing, a voice that shamed even the most heavenly of angels, a soul so kind and pure it shined brighter then the brightest of stars, beauty that put to shame the sheer beauty of the reddest red rose. And even though such poetic, mushy phrases weren't really his style... Chloe was all these things to him, and so much more. But how could he ever tell her that? Especially now, when she was already so confused, so lost in her way. Brady was torn as well. He wanted so badly to tell her how he felt, before he lost her again. But then, he also wanted nothing more then to protect her from harm, take away all her pain and confusion and make everything right for her again.

"Opera..." Ah yes, how could she ever forget her passion for opera? Just those words sent more, clear memories. Memories focusing less on her lonely childhood, spent completely enveloped in her passion for opera, and more on her life dealing with everyone in Salem's reaction to her love of opera. Although she had many who accepted her for who she was, Brady was perhaps the only person in all of Salem who shared her passion for opera. Her memory flashes didn't need to show her that. She felt she already knew in her heart that he was the only one who had ever understood her. Just the mention of opera singing let her see Brady, singing Music of the Night to her. A memory that she found to be both frightening, and treasured. Brady again grew concerned as Chloe seemed to slip off into her buried memories.

"Chloe..." Brady prompted, with no response. Brady took a gentle hold of Chloe's shoulders, turning her slightly to face him and lifting up her chin. "Chloe."

"Hrm?" Chloe asked, obviously dazed. She blinked away the memories, focusing on Brady's deliously handsome face. Whoa... deliously handsome? Had that thought just crossed her mind? Well, it was true...

"More memories?" Brady asked. It was good she was remembering, but a flood of intense memories would do her no good. One couldn't just be hit with a lifetime of memories and still be able to take it. Chloe nodded.

"Yeah. I can't believe I forgot... opera was my life. The thought that Stefano could just take that away from me so easily..." Chloe shuddered slightly without meaning to. Brady's brow creased in concern.

"He's not going to hurt you again, Chloe. I'll die first before I ever let him cause you any more pain," Brady promised. Chloe was about to reply before Brady cut her off. "Look, maybe you should just rest. We have a long flight ahead of us, then all hell's gonna break loose when we get back to Salem and Momma Wesley sees you again. She'll be smothering you, literally, so you should get some rest. We'll talk more about your memories later," Brady said. Chloe shook her head.

"No. I don't want to rest. I'm fine, really. Aida's the one who really needs it, and she's probably doing anything but sleeping out there on the couch with Jordan," Chloe stated. Though she'd never seen Jordan and her sister together before today, the sparks between them were evident to even strangers on the street. Jordan worried over Aida, much the same way Brady did over her, only with them, Aida was always pulling Jordan's lips down to hers to shut up his constant going ons about 'can I get you anything?' 'how you feeling?' and 'are you sure that you should be up walking?' Brady had to smile at the mention. Those two were just too much. Claiming to be just partners in crime one moment, making out in public the next. In a way, he envied them. They came out and told each other about their feelings, why couldn't he? Because he was scared, that's why.

"I'm sure they've already run Dad, Gabriel, and Michelle out of the room by now," Brady agreed. "But, I really think both of you should rest..."

"I said no, Brady. I'm not tired, and I want you to stay. I still have something I want to talk about. Please, stay?" Chloe asked, looking up at him as he'd already stood from the bed. God, not those eyes. Those intense blue pools that caused his knees to turn to jelly every time they gazed up at him. How could he ever deny her anything?

"Alright, I'll stay. But, I still say you need sleep," Brady said, pretending to grumble as he sat easily back down. Truth was, he was happy not to leave to let her rest. He wanted to stay by her side, for fear she would disappear again should he leave her like the night Philip kidnaped her from her own home. Although, he would have been much more content holding her while she slept... "So, what else is it that you wanted to talk about?"

"Us," Chloe answered.

"Us? What do you mean?" Brady asked, obviously confused.

"I mean... well, it's heard to explain. When I first started getting my memories back, as you know, things were really fuzzy. But, when I thought of you... something seemed... off. It was like... something about you and my memories of you stuck out above the rest. I got a sense..." Chloe paused. Oh no, here it was. Here was when his beloved Diva would tell him that he meant nothing to her, that she could never feel anything but repulsion. Brady lowered his head, submitting to the inevitable. He couldn't take hearing that from her, couldn't take hearing the only person who had ever really understood who he was and where he was coming from tell him she wanted nothing more to do with him. But he'd have to. Brady Black never gave up, no matter how lonely he grew as each day rolled into another. "I feel as if, something's incomplete. Like, something's missing, or rather, it's there... just not recognized." Brady looked up to meet Chloe's gaze, fear and resignation beginning to give way to confusion once more.

"What do you mean?"

"That's just it, I don't know! I just know... that I have this feeling. Like... I'm missing something. Or, feeling something that I never open up about. I... I don't know. I just wish... just wish all my memories would come back. I want to remember everything about my life, my childhood, my friends, and... everything about you."

"Well, I know you'll get all your memories back soon, but, to know everything about me, you would only need one fact. What you see, is what you get," Brady stated. The simple phrase brought Chloe back to the porch of a two-story white house. Her hair was up, and she was with Brady, as many of her other clear memories showed. They were talking about relationships, and Chloe was trying to get Brady to open up about himself. Chloe saw herself reach out, gently cupping his cheek. As with her other memories, Chloe's emotions at that time flooded her mind. Only this time, her emotions were so much more intense. She literally felt the electricity surge through her body in real time as she touched Brady's cheek in her memory flash. It was a wonder she didn't gasp in surprise, both in the memory and in real time. The memory spiraled into another, set a night, with a backdrop of woods and what appeared to be a view of the entire city. "Someday you'll meet a man who knows who you are, and loves what he knows, and loves what he sees." Brady was speaking to her in this flash. This flash sent her back into the previous one, back to the porch scene. Chloe somehow realized that must have been because that was what she was thinking at the time. "Chloe? Chloe, are you alright?" Brady's voice broke through her trance. Chloe shook her head, trying to focus on his face.

"What?"

"I said, are you alright? Chloe, you're really starting to worry me. I know you said you don't want to, but I think it best you just rest. I'll send Aida back in here to get some rest too, if that'll make you happy, but you are going to sleep now, whether you like it or not," Brady insisted. Chloe smiled despite herself. Just like her Brady to be so concerned. This was the Brady she, at least vaguely, knew and loved. Wait... her Brady? Loved? Was that it, was that what was bothering her? Stefano could take away her memories, but never her emotions. He could bury them, hide them, but never destroy them. So was that what had been causing her confusion? Was it love she felt? Or was she simply only getting a small bit of a much larger picture? "Chloe, are you hearing me? Sleep, now, or I shall have to get rough," Brady teased slightly, trying to get Chloe to smile. Chloe shook her head, clearing her mind, before she obediently scooted under the covers. "Good girl," Brady said with a smile. He stood, leaning down to kiss Chloe's forehead before he could stop himself. "'Nite, Diva," Brady said softly, resisting the urge to move his kiss to her soft, inviting lips. He turned and was about to walk out of the door when Chloe called to him.

"Brady, wait!" Brady turned around just before he could open the door.

"What is it, Chloe?" Brady asked.

"What do you see?" Chloe asked softly.

"What? I'm sorry, I don't follow," Brady said.

"Knows who you are, loves what he knows, loves what he sees..." Chloe repeated from her memory flash. "What do you see, Brady?" Chloe asked. Brady looked at her, like he was seeing something that couldn't really be there. Why, why did she have to do this? He couldn't tell her what he meant when he'd said that, nor could he tell her what he really felt for her. Now just wasn't the time. He'd always been afraid... to let Chloe see the real him, for reasons even he couldn't explain. Fear of rejecting maybe? And even though he wanted... to tell her everything, now, before fate stepped in and kept him from being able to yet again. Now just couldn't be the right time. But then, when would that "right time" come? Was it possible that such a time might never be? Or were he and Chloe just not as meant to be as he believed they were? "Brady...?" Brady walked slowly up to Chloe, stopping at the foot of the bed. Taking a deep breath, Brady prepared himself to lay everything out on the table. He only hoped this couldn't later be compared to opening a wound to the salt shaker.

"Do you really want me to answer that, Chloe? Because I will, if you think you're ready. I've never really been as open with you as I should be. Are you sure now's the time for me to start?" Brady asked. Chloe hesitated, unsure of her answer. Did she? She felt as if her own heart had been guarded for so long, she didn't know how to handle the things she was feeling now. Or, the things Brady might be feeling for her. Did she love him? She didn't need all her memories to be clear to know the answer. Yes, she did. She had known that from the moment he first touched her arm when they bumped into each other outside of St. Michan's Church. Chloe's soul was forever connected to Brady's. It seemed so strange to her, and yet so very... not strange. The situation, crazy as it was, seemed... oddly _normal_. Here she was, having gone through... what had to be the most insane experience ever, resulting in the lose of all her true memories. And yet, without having but a few, vivid memories returned to her... she somehow knew that she was looking up at the man she was completely and hopelessly in love with. And she felt like... that had scared her before. But it didn't now. No. She wouldn't fear it anymore. Not after having nearly lost him. Time was too precious to let things like fear get in the way. The only question now was, did he feel the same way? Or would he be frightened off by such an intense relationship? When she didn't answer, Brady took that as his answer. No, she wasn't ready. And she never would be. Brady was about to turn when she finally answered.

"Yes, I am. Please... tell me..." Chloe pleaded. Brady nodded, stepping forward to the right side of the bed.

"What do I see when I look at you...?" Brady prompted. Chloe just watched him as he began to pace in front of a few pictures on the wall. "What I see in you... is everything I ever wanted, and more. When I look at you, I see me. Or, I see the other half of me. When I look into your eyes, it's like looking in a mirror. But, no matter how much you go through, I can still see a shimmering, radiant light dancing in your eyes. When I look at you, I see something I lost so long ago, that I want so badly to regain. When I look at you, I see not just the beauty of your body, but the beauty of your soul. Everything you are... is everything I've longed for," Brady answered, all in one breath. Almost like he'd rehearsed the answer. Truth be told... he had, a million times over, in his head.

"What do you know?" Chloe asked quietly. Brady wasn't watching her, he'd turned his attention to a portrait on the wall so he wouldn't have to look at Chloe while she rejected him. He didn't see her stand up from the bed.

"Sometimes...I think I know you, the real you, better then I know myself. I know... I know that you are vulnerable, and yet strong. I know you are kind, and yet tough. I know that you are amazingly talented and bold, yet inwardly insecure. I know you are stubborn as hell, with a temper to match. But there's an inner child there. One that's so scared of lose, she's locked herself away from the rest of the world. One who's been through so much pain, that she'd decided to block out any possibility of happiness to completely avoid more pain. One who's been hurt so many times, she finds herself incapable of trusting again, for fear of that sacred trust being shattered once again. I know... that you are, in so many ways... just like me," Brady answered. By now, Chloe had walked up behind him, and was mere centimeters from him. Brady could feel her presence just behind him, and he turned around slowly.

"What do you love?" Chloe asked softly, so soft it was barely above a whisper. With all fear and hesitation long gone, Chloe reached up, brushing the back of her fingers against the skin on Brady's cheek. Brady shuddered as the tingly sensation spread throughout his entire body. Chloe trailed her thumb slowly against Brady's bottom lip, her eyes never breaking contact with his.

"You," Brady whispered hoarsely. Unable to resist the urge, Brady lowered his head to capture her delicious lips with his own. He kissed her with a passionate hunger, telling himself that if he could taste of those lips just once, he could be satisfied. Much to his shock, Chloe responded, just as passionately, if not more so, then he. Their tongues mingled in a delicious heated battle, each taking their time to enjoy the taste of one another, but also urgent in their battle to get as close as possible. With Chloe's body firmly pressed against his, Brady finally broke the kiss, only because they both needed the oxygen. Of course, at that moment, he could die a happy and content man. Neither spoke as Brady rested his forehead on Chloe's, each panting for breathe. Slowly, Brady brought his hand up to caress Chloe's cheek gently, reeling in the feeling of holding her so close. "I love you, Chloe. So much," Brady whispered. A smile slipped across her face as she took Brady's hand in hers.

"I love you too," Chloe returned, softly kissing each of Brady's knuckles. Brady was so thrilled by the sensation of her lips on his fingers, the words she spoke had yet to hit him.

"Mmmm. You love me too... whoa! Wait a minute! Wha...what did you just say?" Brady stammered, shaking himself out of the daze. Chloe's grin grew as she leaned up on her tippy toes to come eye to eye with him.

"I said, I love you too. I'm in love with you, Brady Victor Black. I always have been, and I always will be," Chloe stated. No, not just a statement. A promise. He knew it was true the moment he looked in her beautiful blue eyes. Now matter how confusing the situation, or how confused her state of mind was, he knew. He knew she loved him the way he loved her. Not the love of a best friend, but only a love two soulmates could share. And that love was a promise... that no matter what might befall them, no matter how many psycho bastards tried to steal her memories from her, she would always love him, even if she couldn't remember his name. Brady leaned down, capturing her lips for another soul searing kiss. Only this kiss, was not urgent, rushed, or demanding in any way. This kiss was tender, loving, passionate, and gentle, all rolled into one. It was only their second kiss, but this time, they both knew for sure it would not be the last.

"Oh, Chloe, I lo--" Brady was interrupted by a loud pounding on the door.

"Brady. We're leaving in an hour, tell Chloe to get some rest and then come out here and help me get ready for our departure. Aida and Jordan fell asleep on the couch, I could use a hand making the final arrangements," John called through the door. Brady looked down at Chloe, sighing deeply.

"You do need to rest," Brady whispered. Chloe shook her head.

"Stay with me?" Chloe pleaded. Her sparkling eyes immediately drew him in, turning his knees to jelly. Oh hell no, he was not leaving after a request like that!

"Hey, Dad, would it be okay if I just stayed here? I'm sure you can handle whatever it is on your own. Chloe's having some trouble getting to sleep, so I'm going to stay here with her, alright?" Brady returned. If only he could see John's grin.

"Sure, Son, fine with me. Just let her get some actual rest, will ya?" There was no arrangements John needed help with. They would leave in an hour to catch John's private jet. They had no baggage, and really had nothing to do for the next hour. After 10 minutes of Aida's begging, John finally caved in, going along with her plan. She just had to know if Brady worked up enough nerve to tell Chloe, so she convinced John to make up the "need your help" story. Brady grinned, winking at Chloe.

"Sure thing, Dad. Promise," Brady returned. John chuckled, turning away from the door to head back to Aida, who was eagerly awaiting confirmation. Brady turned to look at Chloe once more, trailing his thumb over her lips. "You really do need to get some sleep. You've been though a lot," Brady said.

"Hold me while I sleep?" Chloe asked. Brady just nodded, not trusting his voice. He walked Chloe back over to the bed, helping her under the covers before walking around to the other side of the bed and getting in himself. Chloe immediately pressed her back into him as he pulled the covers up over them and wrapped his arms securely around her. He was amazed at how perfectly Chloe fit next to him, how right it felt to have her pressed up against him. Brady leaned his head forward, nuzzling her neck, but mindful of her bandage, before planting a soft, loving kiss on the base of her neck.

"I love you, Chloe," Brady whispered. Chloe sighed with content, closing her eyes.

"I love you too, Brady," Chloe returned quietly. Brady closed his eyes as well, and it wasn't long before they both drifted off to sleep, secure in the safety of each others embrace...

Two hours later, John, Jordan, Aida, Chloe, and Brady had all boarded John's private jet, and were already well on their way back to Salem. Aida had long since decided Salem was where she belonged. And Jordan would stay at her side no matter what. So they would both finally be leaving behind their life under Stefano's control for life in Salem. Aida was more then nervous about meeting her mother for the first time. John had phoned Nancy the moment they had Chloe back into safety. He also called three more times, at Nancy's insistence, to tell her when their flight was scheduled to leave, when they actually left, and estimated arrival time. Nancy had called a few times, insisting to know how Chloe was. She had not known at first that Aida, the daughter she had not seen in over 17 years, would also be coming to Salem. Craig would later report that Nancy had nearly fainted when John told her Aida was coming as well. Probably would have fainted dead away, actually, if he hadn't caught her. Despite Nancy's insistence, John had advised her not to talk to Aida over the phone. They would meet in a few short hours, after Aida was taken to the hospital to be treated. Chloe had talked to Nancy, however, for a short time, mostly spent in teary greeting, and constant reassurance that she was okay and would be home before she knew it. Now, she sat curled in the comfortable leather seating of John's jet. Or rather, curled up in Brady's lap, with his arms wrapped around her. John was in the front, talking on his cell phone to Marlena and Belle, who had both already spoken to Chloe and Brady. Aida, though against her will, was laying on the sofa opposite Brady and Chloe, with a blanket over her.

"I'm telling you, Jordan, I'm fine, really. You don't have to make me lie down, I'm more then capable of sitting up on my own," Aida grumbled. Actually, she was not angry. Not even frustrated really. She was too thrilled to see her sister so happily, and openly, in love with Brady Black to let such negative emotions bring her down. Well, they couldn't take away her apprehension about meeting her birth mother for the first time, but that of course was to be expected. Still... it was nice to see someone enjoying themselves.

"I don't care what you say, Aida. You _fainted _when you tried to get up and go get a glass of water on your own. You've been over-doing it, and now you are going to rest and I will not hear any more complaints, is that clear?"

"I love it when you get demanding," Aida returned, with a sly smile. Jordan chuckled, shaking his head. Aida gazed over at her sister, who was far to busy running her hand slowly up and down Brady's forearm to notice her or Jordan. "Hey hey, you two. Don't start getting all mushy over there with the kissy face stuff. I'm a wounded chick, my body couldn't take the damage that puking up my lunch would cause," Aida teased, loudly enough to get Brady and Chloe's attention. Both of them grinned.

"Oh really? So, would you lose your lunch if I did, oh say, this?" Brady inquired, before tipping up Chloe's chin and kissing her deeply on the mouth. Aida made a face, pretending to be appalled.

"Gross! Such public display of affection would be fine, if it wasn't my twin sister on the receiving end of that tongue of yours, Brady," Aida stated.

"Hey!" Jordan would have swatted at Aida playfully, but she was wounded, so he had to refrain.

"Oh, don't worry, Jor. I'd much rather it be your tongue, as long as I'm the only one on the receiving end," Aida stated. It was Chloe's turn to pretend to be disgusted, although she was as happy for Aida as Aida was for her.

"Ewww. And you say we're bad?" Chloe asked. Aida stuck her tongue out at her sister, before sitting up and grabbing Jordan by the shirt, with the intent on putting her tongue to much better use. Brady and Chloe turned to hear John chuckle from his place standing in the doorway to the front compartment.

"You four, are hopeless. Ah, young love. Such an amazing, yet nauseating to watch, experience," John joked.

"Now you know how Belle and I feel every time you and Marlena lip-lock," Brady returned. John shook his head.

"They said they want you guys home A.S.A.P. by the way, and that you should prepare yourselves for the inevitable. Being completely smothered in hugs and kisses."

"Yeah well, I can think of someone else I would rather be huggin' and kissin'," Brady stated, wrapping his arms tighter around Chloe. John again shook his head, turning around to go back into the front compartment.

"Hopeless," John muttered under his breath. Both couples broke into rounds of laughter, Jordan pulling himself down on the sofa to wrap Aida in his arms much the same way Brady held Chloe. Aida rested her head on Jordan's chest, staring out the jet window after the laugher subsided to comfortable silence. Soon, she would be in Salem, with her birth mother. She would finally have a place to call home..…


	24. Epilogue

Epilogue

As the jet was landing, Aida was one big ball of nerves. Upon John's insistence, an ambulance would be waiting for her at the airport to take her to Salem University Hospital. Chloe refused to go along, claiming the only medical attention she needed was Brady's lips on hers. But before they took her to be admitted into Salem University Hospital, Aida would come face to face with the mother she had never known. Her current physical appearance left her wondering if she should wait to meet Nancy. What if she didn't like her? She had, whether she wanted to or not, given her up at birth to her monstrous father. What if she really didn't _want_ her? Could she want a beaten up, former mercenary for a daughter? Aida's troubled thoughts were interrupted by Jordan, who stood in front of her. He'd had to snap his fingers in front of her face to get her attention.

"Hey Aida, come on baby, everyone's getting off the plane. Here, do you need help walking?" Jordan asked, gently grasping her arm. Instead of letting him help her up, Aida collapsed into tears in his arms.

"Oh Jordan, I can't do this! What if she hates me for what I've become? What if she thinks I'm no better then my father? I can't Jordan, I can't..." Aida sobbed. Brady was the only other one still in ear shot. Everyone else was making their way off the plane and into the lobby. Jordan mouthed 'Go on,' so Brady left them alone, hurrying forward to catch up to the others. The first thing he heard when he got into the lobby was Nancy's squeal of joy as she spotted sight of Chloe. Chloe, recognizing Nancy as her mother – some memories were still a bit fuzzy, but Nancy was too... unforgettable -- dropped the bag in her hands to enter Nancy's waiting arms.

"Oh, Chloe baby, I was so worried! I missed you so much! Are you ok? Stefano and Philip didn't hurt you did they? I swear if either one of them touched so much as a hair on your head..." Nancy, with her ever changing emotions, had quickly gone from open tears of joy to intense anger. Chloe merely smiled, hugging her mother tightly.

"I missed you too, Mom," Chloe replied. Ok, so she hadn't remembered anything or anyone from her past, save for the few memories she had of Brady, but that was beside the point. Nancy pulled back to hold her daughter at arm's length.

"Don't you ever disappear on me like that again, do you hear? If you ever find yourself another insane, psycho killer boyfriend..."

"Don't worry, Mrs. Wesley, she has a normal, mentally stable boyfriend this time around," Brady stated, coming up behind Chloe to wrap his arms around her waist. Nothing could have made Nancy happier then the sight of her daughter, finally with Brady Black. She hadn't been very fond of him, at first. Although she'd always preferred him over Philip. But seeing his reaction to Chloe's disappearance... seeing the determination he had to find her. That had opened Nancy's eyes. Brady Black was indeed a wonderful man, who loved her daughter very much. And would stop at nothing to insure her happiness and safety. Of that she was sure.

"Calling yourself my boyfriend already, now are we?" Chloe commented with a sly half smile.

"Damn straight I am," Brady replied. Nancy's smile broadened. How the two had never realized their love for one another sooner she would never know. Brady reluctantly disengaged his arms from Chloe for Nancy to envelope him in a rib-crushing bear hug.

"Thank you Brady. Thank you so much for bringing my baby home to me," Nancy sobbed. By now, Craig had returned from fetching coffee. He immediately had Chloe into the same bear-hug hold Nancy had on Brady. Back in the jet, Aida was still sobbing on Jordan's shoulder, Jordan's arms wrapped around her to smooth her hair in comfort.

"Shhh... it's alright, Aida. Everything is going to be alright now," Jordan comforted.

"But Jordan, what if..." Jordan pulled back to hold her at arms length, bringing a finger to her lips to shush her fears.

"No Aida, no what ifs. Now you listen to me. You made it through the hard part. You were faced with the ultimate trial, the final challenge, and you won. Anyone else would have given up, but you kept fighting. That's something only a true hero can accomplish."

"But Jordan... what if she can't see past all the hurt I've caused?" Aida whispered, tears still streaming down her cheeks. Jordan wiped them delicately away, giving her a reassuring smile.

"Aida, you are the kindest, gentlest, most amazing spirit I have ever seen. Your mother will be able to see that more then anyone. She won't blame you for the actions Stefano made you commit. You couldn't help the way you were raised. You were just an innocent child, raised by a monster to believe that theft and murder were perfectly alright as long as they were profitable. Your mother knows that. She's going to fall instantly in love with you, Aida. I know I sure did," Jordan stated with a soft smile, causing Aida to smile through her tears as well. "Now, you are going to go out there to meet your mother, then you are going to the hospital to get proper medical care, whether you like it or not."

"I love it when you're so demanding," Aida murmured.

"And I love it when you're so damn sarcastic," Jordan returned, causing them both to laugh. "Ok, are you ready? You've waited 17 years for this Aida, no reason to wait any longer." Aida nodded.

"Yes, I'm ready. As ready as I'll ever be," Aida replied. Jordan stood, reaching his hand out to help her up to her feet. Aida slowly rose, feeling a little light headed, and let Jordan help her out into the lobby. They got to the lobby just in time to hear the grateful Craig and Nancy thanking Brady for "bringing their baby home."

"You're welcome, for both of them," Brady replied. It was then that Nancy looked over Brady's shoulder to spot Aida, who stood motionless next to Jordan just a few feet behind them. Nancy nearly gasped at the sight, for two reasons. The first being the obvious. After all, though she was for the most part properly bandaged, Aida looked terribly frightening, so swollen in so many different areas and spots on her body shades of black blue and purple Nancy had never seen before. The second was, even in her current state, she looked exactly like Chloe, a mirror image one might say. Despite the physical blemishes, Aida looked beautiful to Nancy. 17 years was too long to be apart from a daughter you always longed for. Brady looked back as well, before silently ushering Chloe and Craig away, leading them both over to Marlena, Belle, and John to leave reunited mother and estranged daughter alone to talk. Aida froze when she saw her mother. She was just like Aida had always envisioned her, before she saw the picture in Chloe's duffel bag, and in her eyes, instantly perfect in every way. She wanted to turn and run from her insecurities, but Jordan wouldn't allow it. He basically pushed her forward, towards her mother, before backing off as Brady had done to give mother and daughter some space. Aida stood awkwardly still in front of Nancy, each afraid to make a move for a few painfully slow moments, before Nancy made the first move, holding her arms out to Aida, who immediately collapsed into her mother's waiting arms.

"Oh Aida. I'm so, so sorry baby. I never wanted to let you go. I'm sorry, I'm so sorry baby. Please forgive me," Nancy sobbed.

"I forgive you," Aida said honestly, breathing in the scent of her estranged mother. It was true, all was forgiven the moment Nancy held Aida in her arms. All the hurt and pain Aida had lived through, could never and would never be blamed on Nancy. All Aida needed to take away that pain was to feel her mother's love. The emptiness from the lack of a mother's love had left Aida feeling so lonely as a child, but all she needed to right all those years was one simple hug now. "I love you mother, so much. I always prayed you'd come for me. I was so afraid you would never want me, after all I've done. I can't believe I'm really here now, away from the hell my father put me through."

"Oh Aida, I'm so sorry you had to go through that. I've felt so much guilt... I should have never allowed that monster to take you with him to Europe... God, seeing you now... what has he done to you? How could I have let you go through all this?" Nancy wailed, clutching Aida close to her.

"It's alright mother. I know it wasn't your fault. I forgive you, just please... please, never let me go again," Aida pleaded.

"Never, I promise. I'll never let you go again," Nancy vowed. John reluctantly approached, two paramedics with a wheelchair to take Aida to the waiting ambulance.

"I hate to interrupt Mrs. Wesley, but Aida needs to be taken to the hospital now. I'm amazed she can even stand after all she's been through," John said. Nancy nodded, pulling back from Aida to for the first time survey the full extent of Aida's wounds. From afar, she'd looked terrible. So up close, Nancy was also amazed Aida could stand on her own.

"Oh my... yes, baby, you need to get to the hospital right away. Just look at you, my poor baby, Aida. Oh, I didn't hurt you when I hugged you did I?" Nancy asked worriedly. Aida smiled fondly as her mother and the paramedics helped her into the wheelchair.

"No mother, you didn't." Aida answered. "It looks a lot worse then it feels. I can honestly say, I've never felt better in my whole life."

"Now I know you're Chloe's sister. Always so stubbornly set on being 'just fine' when I know better..." Nancy continued to rant the whole way to the ambulance, and Aida loved every moment of it...

2 DAYS LATER

Brady, Belle, Shawn and Jordan all sat in waiting for Chloe. Things felt so different now, after all they had been through. Belle never quite got over the loss of her life-long best friend Mimi, or any of the others that had died at Philip's hand for that matter, but she was just happy to have Chloe and her brother back. And she was even beginning to get close to Shawn again. After Jan's murder, Belle finally learned the real truth about Jan's baby, so she and Shawn could work out their relationship. They of course weren't able to pick up right where they left off. No... for now, they were just friends. Both doubted things could ever really be the same between them. But at least now they would have the chance to try to rebuild what had been lost.

The past few days had been hectic, with Aida in the hospital, and the return of Philip, which brought much turmoil to the town which was still learning to cope with the pain Philip had caused. Brady and the others were now waiting on news of Aida's progress, and hopefully hear if Philip's trial date was set. Chloe would be there any moment with updates on both. Just as Brady asked the others what the hell was taking Chloe so long, Chloe walked in the door.

"About time," Brady called out to her. Chloe rolled her eyes, but she smiled none the less as she came up to her friend's booth. "Looks like you'll have to sit on someone's lap. No free seat," Brady stated suggestively.

"Hrm... you're right. Shawn, do you mind if I borrow your lap?" Chloe asked, very much loving teasing Brady. She had all her memories back now, so she knew just how to push the right buttons. Chloe made a move towards Shawn, but Brady grabbed her by the waist, pulling her down to his lap.

"Nice try, Diva. My lap and my lap alone has clearance to be your seat," Brady stated.

"Eww... please bro, no public shows of affection alright? Your little sis would like to keep her lunch down," Belle protested. Brady chuckled.

"Now you know how I felt every time I saw you lip-lockin' with Shawnie Boy over there," Brady stated.

"Hey!"

"I don't mean to interrupt, but... Chloe, spill. How'd everything go? Is Aida feeling better?" Jordan asked.

"Man, Jor, that girl got you so whipped," Brady commented.

"You should talk, Brady," Jordan murmured. Brady laughed, pulling his arms tighter around Chloe.

"This is so very true. But hey, what can I say? I like being dominated, as long as it's Chloe holdin' the whip."

"Alright, alright. All grossness factor aside," Belle started, wrinkling her nose at the mental image Brady's statement gave, "Jordan's right, spill."

"Ok... first, yes Jordan, Aida's feeling much better. She's basking happily in the excessive motherly attention Nancy's giving her with all her pampering and fussing. Oh, and Aida said to tell you to come by around three. Nancy has some appointment to get to, and wonderful, understanding Craig is going to give you some uninterrupted "alone time" Nancy wouldn't approve of, so don't be late." Chloe stated.

"Don't have to tell me twice," Jordan grinned.

"Ok, now, about court..." Chloe had spent most of the morning in Chicago, where Philip was being held. "Unfortunately, Philip's over-paid snake of a lawyer has managed to keep everything out of court. There won't be a trial."

"What?! Philip's a murderer for God's sake!" Brady boomed. Philip should rot in hell for all eternity for all the things he'd done, so Brady believed.

"Philip's lawyer had some more then likely phony quack doctor declare Philip emotionally, mentally, and morally unstable. Which is true, but what that means is, instead of jail time, or even the death penalty, Philip will be held in the Eden Brook Mental Institution for the rest of his life without any chance of being released," Chloe explained.

"Well, at least he is being properly punished," Belle said. Chloe nodded.

"Yes. Actually, if you ask me, this is a much better suited punishment for Philip. Eden Brook has all the security and cruelty of prison, with the added bonus of other crazy people who aren't in right mind enough to realize they're beating the living shit out of you, and experimental levels of electro-shock therapy to last Philip the rest of his life," Chloe stated.

"Hrm... seems you're beginning to show more hatred for him than I do. That's just not right," Brady said jokingly.

"Hey, it's my right as the object of Philip's obsession to hate his guts for all he put my family, friends, and I through," Chloe stated. Brady sighed, pulling Chloe closer.

"That... was beyond obsession. I'm just glad it's finally over," Brady said.

"So are we all, Brady," Jordan stated.

"Yeah, finally, we all have a chance at reaching happily ever after, despite all we've been through," Belle pointed out.

"Happily every after..." Chloe repeated. She felt... something in the air, something unnerving, yet she felt it should seem familiar. Chloe shook off the disturbing "being watched" deja vu, writing it off as nothing. Her life was getting back to normal. She had her twin sister, her mother and Craig, her friends, and best of all, the most amazing boyfriend she could ever wish for. Unlike with Philip, Chloe would never have to worry about being the object of anyone's obsession ever again. Chloe would finally have her happily ever after...

The End... or is it? To one-day-in-the-not-so-near-future be continued in "Beyond Obsession"


End file.
